As a note for anyone who happens by this: I've posted this on my facebook so I guess the biggest target audience is for them. But if you are a stranger and read this, I hope you enjoy:
Just so you know...I'm sure some will disagree with my opinions and that's ok. Hopefully I gave enough justification as to why I feel these albums were my favorite. Also keep in mind that this is a pretty nebulous list. At least most of the spots in the top ten. It is always hard to judge how much you enjoyed an album at times because it often changes. What doesn't change is how much I enjoyed this year in music. There was a lot of good stuff out there. I know that I missed out on a lot of albums but even so, several of these albums are hard to beat for me. And without further ado...
#30-25
Blitzen Trapper--Furr, The Submarines--Honeysuckle Weeks; The Walkmen--You & Me; Feral Children--Second to the Last Frontier; M83--Saturdays=Youth; Sigur Ros--The one withtheicelandic title
Alright so I'm not going to offer much of a description for these albums. They are tagged at the end because I really enjoyed them but didn't get the chance to soak them up as much as the others on the list. Some albums I got into too late, some I listened to off and on and just never really gotten connected to them (at least just yet).
24. Pas/Cal—I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Laura
Someone ran off with Of Montreal’s style! Seriously, though, if you are looking for a band that seems like a spiritual successor to Of Montreal Pas/Cal is your bet. For me this album came out of nowhere. I randomly saw it listed somewhere and decided to give it a listen to. I’m really glad I did though because I listened to “I Was Raised On…” in one sitting. The album is cheerful in all the right ways, it is a great piece of pop music and I’m glad how in love with it I actually am.
23. High Places—03/07 – 09/07, High Places
I’m listing both High Places albums because they are very similar to each other and for that reason basically can fit happily on the same spot on the list. High Places is all over the place. They are a very experimental band sampling all kinds of different sounds together like puzzle pieces. They remind me a lot of The Books and somewhat like Animal Collective (they also sound a great deal like Azeda Booth who is also on my list). The vocals echo all over the place as if coming from great distances. Each song has a different sort of set piece in it; its own construction kit of sounds. If you are into experimental music you would like them very much.
22. Amanda Palmer—Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
The Dresden Dolls (a two person band who Palmer is one half of) was one of the first indie bands that I really got into back in high school. At the time they were the most unique thing I had ever heard without question and I still think their rock/cabaret fusion that they created will always been one of the most unique styles. Amanda Palmer went solo in 2008 and made her wrote her own album and it is incredible. It doesn’t stray too far from the format of her other band but that is not a bad thing. The lyricism of the album is so amazing. Palmer’s voice goes hand in hand with the pain of what she is singing about. The music is very showy and very big. It is like it deserves a theatrical production. The constant battle with happy and sad in this album makes for a very promising start for Palmer as a solo artist.
21. Ladytron—Velocifero
I really love Ladytron. Their style is amazing. This haunting dark style of electronic music that they do. As with other bands on this list I like them unconditionally because they always make solid albums. “Velocifero” was fantastic and indicative of a band who will only keep getting better with time.
20. She and Him—Volume One
I’m sure She and Him have plenty of naysayers who can say all their nay about the fact that it is just some sort of one trick pony act. They will talk about how the album is just shooting for some sort of niche audience and will only appeal to people just because M. Ward is involved with it or that Zooey Deschanel gives them a boner or whatever. To those people I say suck it, why don’t you try and fucking do better. I don’t know anyone who wasn’t initially intrigued by the concept of this collaboration (especially those who had heard Zooey’s voice before). “Volume One” came out early this year and was one of the finer records at the time. It really was a treat. Zooey of course sounded sweet as honey; her classic sounding voice was very welcome. The lyrics were not the most complex in the world but were lovely and sweet and cute—which was the point. People might have been upset that M. Ward hardly showed up in the vocal area but that’s ok. It sounded great and fresh. When you heard it your ears pricked up. It made me feel good listening to it which is always welcome. One of those albums that could fill your day with sunshine if you would only let it. I can’t wait for “Volume Two”.
19. TV on the Radio—Dear Science
“Dear Science” is a fantastic album. It’s groovy as hell. It’s dark and dense but like always it has a great super fantastic rhythm to it. I know TV on the Radio has been on the scene for a long time but all the time they manage to sound as complex and as unique on each album. I don’t think as many people ate this album up as they did “Return to Cookie Mountain” but I feel this is as just as good of an effort. A solid album and “Halfway Home” is probably one of my favorite TotR tracks.
18. Ra Ra Riot—The Rhumb Line
For the most part I thought that Vampire Weekend is a good band. They are not the most fantastical fucking thing in the world but high five on breaking from the indie scene (sort of) and getting kinda popular. You know who I think deserves more credit? Obviously Ra Ra Riot because that’s who I’m supposed to be talking about right now. The two bands have a lot in common at times. They both have this sort of collegiate atmosphere about them. Vampire Weekend uses biggish words and these African inspired beats (sorry but I never really understood that connection). Ra Ra Riot manages to mesh a classical sound (strings!) with their indie rock feel. I seriously feel that this is one of the more underplayed albums on the indie sphere. I mean it is really pretty music. The album does a great job of capturing the depth that bands like Arcade Fire have. Of course it might not be as developed but with “The Rhumb Line” Ra Ra Riot has delivered and leaves me waiting in anticipation for their future.
17. Pete and the Pirates—Little Death
“Little Death” in my opinion was a fantastic pop music masterpiece. Each song is short and sweet but aches for you to play it over and over again. It wants you to hum along with it. Sing along with it. When you are in the shower you want to whistle the songs. When you are sky diving in Costa Rica it wants you to scream the lyrics out while the wind whips them away. You wonder how in the world some of the terrible fucktards of songs are actually popular and music like this falls on the wayside. “Little Death” is spot on with its wonderful little pop gems.
16. Okkervil River—The Stand Ins
In 2008 Okkervil River released a new album a sequel (which doesn’t even seem legal in music) of sorts to “The Stage Names” which was one of my favorite albums in 2007. So, like I said: in 2008 Okkervil River released a new album. That is all you really need to know. I have a big man crush on Will Sheff’s voice. I want to rip out my heart and feel sad with him and what not. I just wish I could make everything sound as beautiful as this band does.
15. Fleet Foxes—Fleet Foxes
A lot of people shit their pants over Fleet Foxes in 2008 for good reason. This album is incredible. I apologize to those who thought it would be higher on the list and this isn’t to say that I didn’t like it I thought it was goddamned amazing. “Fleet Foxes” sounds like it came from atop a mountain to express folk love to everyone who listens to it. This is one of those rare albums where you can’t really find anything wrong with it. It defines genre almost which is always a great trait and more importantly it is beautiful and accessible to anyone who will give it the time of day.
14. The Dodos—Visiter
I would describe The Dodos as acoustic power rock. The fact that a guitar and drums make up most of all the music in the tracks is impressive. The songs range from high energy to quiet thunder all the while maintaining a raw emotion. To me, “Fools” is one of the best crafted songs of the year and one of my initial reasons for getting this album and a big reason to stay with it. For me the songs hit a nerve all the time and I really really really really adore it. A lot.
13. Crystal Castles—Crystal Castles
I’m honestly curious as to how Crystal Castles function as a live band. They sound like an explosion of 8-bit video game music. Hell, this is fantastic hard hitting dance music. I know there are a great amount of bands like this on the list but like all the others Crystal Castles does something just as unique as everyone else. The music is kinda dirty. Kinda sexy. The sort of dark and haunting dance shit. At times it borders on trance but always enough to start a rave. It sounds like robots fighting, fucking, talking, dancing, eating, breathing, shitting, and doing their normal robot things. It’s an electronic attack honestly. I knew I was in love with the album when I heard “Untrust Us” and didn’t stop listening from there. Probably out of all the electronic music I have on the list it is the most “electronic”. The louder it is played, the better.
12. Azeda Booth—In Flesh Tones
I’m not really sure if Azeda Booth is really well known. They should be though because for one thing they have a song called “Ben” so I mean…that’s pretty big and awesome. Like a couple other bands on the list they do a really good job of creating sounds. The opening track “Ran” is frantic and fast. Honestly, it is not too telling of the album as a whole. I’m not completely sure how to describe Azeda Booth—they are like an instrumental band but there are vocals. The vocals of course don’t necessarily feel like they are supposed to be separate from the music but a part of it like a shoegaze band. “In Flesh Tones” is a quite beautiful album. It almost doesn’t seem to know how to handle its beauty because of the somewhat hushed feeling I get from the songs. This is not to say that the album is quiet at all. On the contrary it has a lot going on but it is all kept in check from being too loud or too quiet.
11. Cut Copy—In Ghost Colours
I really love Cut Copy. I think they have managed to create a really unique sound. The music is heavily electronic. It is a fantastic lesson in ambient electronic music. There are moments on the album when “In Ghost Colours” feels like electronic pop, true. Obviously I am a sucker for the electronic pop but the more unspoken ambient moments are what really get me. I’m not speaking of ambient music like Brian Eno (who I also love) but more or like this bubble of sound that comes at you from every inch. It’s almost as if there were a million different speakers surrounding your head in a cloud playing sounds from this album they would all play something different. I realize that might not make sense but I could simplify it all by saying that it sounds deep. It sounds big without being loud. It sounds great.
10. Bon Iver—For Emma, Forever Ago
Almost as important as the music that Bon Iver made was the fact that the album brought about my favorite album title of the year and one of my favorites of all times. “For Emma, Forever Ago” both the album and the name speak volumes. Love, loss, heartache, nostalgia, sadness, etc, and, etc. “Flume” is the opening track and sort of sets the stage for the album and (at least in my opinion) the title of the album itself Heartfelt acoustic crooning makes this album a gem. It is a sort of modern folk love letter and might be easily passed off but I feel it holds appeal for several audiences. It feels almost deceptively simple at times. The album warms you, seriously. It might fill you with whatever emotions good or sad but it has a comforting feeling to it. One of those cathartic experiences that you have to listen to over and over again on the cold lonely nights.
9. The Killers—Day & Age
I don’t give a fuck what you say. The Killers are one of my favorite bands of all time. When “Hot Fuss” came out it was one of the most unique things to have come about in a long time. When “Sam’s Town” came out it was deemed not as good and I will admit that it took me a bit to catch on to it but I realized how incredible it was too. In 2008 “Day and Age” came out and I thought it was great. What The Killers manage to do with each of their albums is stay true to their style and at the same time redefine themselves. “Day and Age” mixes their electronic disco of “Hot Fuss” with the Americana rock of “Sam’s Town” and crafts songs that feel unique and traditional. The Killers also give themselves some room for experimentation in the tracks “Joy Ride” and “I Can’t Stay” where more Spanish and ethnic notes are audible. Like I said I don’t give a fuck what you say…I love this band and they put out an album that I enjoy the hell out of.
8. Friendly Fires—Friendly Fires
Ah Friendly Fires…it took me a little while to discover you but when I did we fell in love. I admit that I happened upon this album a little too late for my pleasure but this became a fantastic treat at the end of the year. I love dance music. Though I never have much of a reason to dance or even move any parts of my body in a rhythmic way, this album makes me want to do just that. Dance rock seems to be something that is hard to come by these days, especially stuff that really catches on. Friendly Fires really knows how to stretch their legs though in the genre because not only do some of the songs work as great dance tracks some of them take a lot of emotional root. Some songs hit you hard. Some songs blanket themselves over you. Regardless of what mood you find yourself listening to this album you are sure to let it pull you in. Always on obsessive repeat.
7. Neon Neon—Stainless Style
A concept album based on the life of John De Lorean. SOLD. Look I really feel that is all that is needed to describe the amazing appeal of the album. Even if it was terrible I think that description alone is enough to garner attention. I mean there are concept albums and then there are concept albums. The concept for this concept album was great. That isn’t all I will give you though. After all, “Dream Cars” is one of my favorite songs of the year. The thing about “Stainless Style” is that the album is infused with style. I’m not trying to be clever, just being truthful. The album gives you rock, electronica, rap, funk, everything. The album finds a way to blend genres and yet still talk about a guy who made the Doc’s time machine. This is a groovy listen and I manage to peel back new layers with each listen.
6. The Ting Tings—We Started Nothing
What the cock? He’s putting The Ting Tings on there?! On the top ten?! Aren’t they like a band you would hear on bullshitty teen dramas? Hey yeah! It’s true! Yes is the answer to all those questions. Look, unlike The Submarines I had no clue that The Ting Tings were on the iPod commercials. I tell you, I hate the fucking iPod commercials! Gah! Instead I heard some buzz about the band and decided to give the album a listen. I heard the song “Great DJ” and thought it was incredible. It was catchy, danceable, poppy, and great. It is very important to have a great opening track. Then I heard “That’s Not My Name” and was completely taken aback. The two songs felt extremely different to me but I was intrigued. The thing about “We Started Nothing” is that it isn’t really what you expect (at least for me). The album has easily identifiable radio friendly hits but there isn’t anything wrong with that. Who says that music isn’t good if it is too popular? I certainly don’t feel this way. It isn’t like I “discovered” this band before they became too popular. When I listened to it it was probably out for a bit. Whatever. I heard it and I liked it, a lot. So I kept listening…isn’t that what matters?
5. Fuck Buttons—Street Horrrsing
At times I cannot really understand the appeal of noise music. The fact that a noise band is referred to as a “noise” band doesn’t really say much. Noise can be a lot of different things. For example noise can be a baby screaming while country music plays in the background. I would rather boil my skin off than listen to that noise though. The few noise bands that I have come in contact with were ok. I can tolerate a lot and once you peel back the ones that play just feedback and extremely pointless guitar sounds (which feels just as empty and dumb as death metal, headbanging bullshit {wow you can scream about death and jackal rape and the devil with complete incoherence while guitars tune everything else out?? So can I!}). ANYWAY. Sorry for the rant but I really found something awesome in Fuck Buttons even though they were initially described as a noise band to me. The songs are long, yes. They are repetitive, yes. The thing is, this stuff is incredible. There is an initial buildup. New sounds are thrown on top of the old. More build up. Repeat. It is a great formula. Some of the songs make you want to beat your chest in some sort of tribal dance. Others make your ears feel like they are going to bleed because there is so much going on. In the end this album was incredibly beautiful to me. It was another one of those albums that gave me something I didn’t expect…at all. Because of this I loved the fuck (buttons) out of it.
4. Atmosphere—When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold
I don’t really listen to much rap honestly. My scope of rap basically extends to a few guilty pleasure hits from days before college and a few random things I might have heard. I know it all isn’t about fuckin’ bitches, driving cars, and what have you. Most of the time that’s just how it sounds to me. I more or less recoil from it because it all sounds the same. People might scream at me and tell me to pick up Lil’ Wayne or some shit like that. I know Pitchfork sanctions a lot of rap out there but I just can’t do it. I don’t really do Kanye and I sure as fuck just can’t tolerate someone who describes themselves with a “lil”. ANYWAY. Sorry for another rant. What I like about Atmosphere is that there seems to be more to his lyrics and more depth to the music. It’s what I’m listening for when I hear rap. Yeah, yeah, I know that “When Life Gives You Lemons…” is emo rap or whatever (like most of his other stuff of course) but it packs an emotional punch that I really like. String me up for liking it and being biased but I don’t care. When I heard this album I dug the hell out of it and I listened to it several times. So boo-ya.
3. Lykke Li—Youth Novels
I started listening to Lykke Li’s album over the summer. Yeah, it was good. I thought she had a beautiful voice and it was really unique, hadn’t really heard much like it before. After the initial first few weeks of listening to the album I sort of put it by the wayside for a long time. Then for some unknown reason I wanted to listen to the album again. I had seen the videos for “Little Bit” and “I’m Good, I’m Gone” on various places (not to mention that Victoria’s Secret commercial). The seductive quality of “Youth Novels” had escaped me for too long. I began listening to the album non-stop and became quite obsessed with it. In the music world (or I guess the somewhat pretentious sphere that I listen to) there is a lot of unique stuff out there. When I listened to Lykke Li, however, I just felt that the album was an incredible piece of work. Fuck those bitches that MTV plays all the time. That can’t sing or write worth a shit. Lykke Li is only ten days younger than me and I find myself astounded every time I hear her songs and especially that voice…it really is great.
2. Los Campesinos!—Hold On Now, Youngster
I love this album. I really do. I had heard mention of Los Campesinos! a few times (after all, the name is pretty distinct) but had never listened to them until I saw one of their videos (“Death to Los Campesinos!”). Sprung by the awesome video and an attraction to the female members of the band I decided to check out the album. From the opening track until the very end I was hooked. The tracks were not too long creating a perfect pace for the album. The clash of punk and rock and indie worked so well not to mention the fact that the lyrics were meaningful and the music epic and sweet. So many parts were fused together to create this incredible whole. As I kept listening to the album over time it every song got better; of course nothing to compare to “You! Me! Dancing!” which is one of my favorite tracks of the year. Though it is the longest track on the album and at times seemingly out of place it is purely infectious—enough to almost be number one…
1. MGMT—Oracular Spectacular
As much as I love all the other albums on the list “Oracular Spectacular” cements its place in the top mostly because of the two songs “Time to Pretend” and “Kids”. I know this might sound like blasphemy to some but hear me out. The many people I know that have listened to this album in the past year have loved it song for song. From the time in early spring to even some who didn’t catch on until much later “Oracular Spectacular” at least for me (and some others I feel) captures the essence of a period in our lives. Opening with “Time Pretend” might seem like a way to go too fast out of the gate but the song truly explodes into your ears and fixes itself into your head. Going through the album there are many shifts in styles but it all focuses on great psychedelic rock. The album is a perfect companion to a disenchanted feeling of early adulthood. Even if the big, bad world scares the fuck out of you at least you have a great soundtrack to listen to. I cannot count the times that I’ve watched the music videos, listened to the songs and just found myself lost in the music.
there you have it...i hope you enjoyed or something
