Drumroll please...

1 TV on the Radio - Dear Science, (2196)

How do you go about making a follow-up album to 2006’s masterpiece, Return to Cookie Mountain? You don’t worry about it being a follow-up; you just worry about writing another masterpiece. With Prince-like falsetto, funky guitars beholden to the Talking Heads, and lyrics that hold true to their “the apocalypse is coming, but I aint sweatin’ it” style, TV on the Radio created Dear Science. Stylistically speaking, if Return to Cookie Mountain was full of washed-up garage-rock blues, then Dear Science is the shiny and danceable funk-rock album. Multi-instrumentalist and producer Dave Sitek lets the music and details really shine through this time, from the anthemic “Red Dress” to the dreary “Love Dog.” Nearly every song here serves a different purpose, whether it’s the pummeling opener “Halfway Home” to the sexiest booty-call-in-indie-music in closing song “Lover’s Day,” the psychedelic freak-out of “Shout Me Out.” And was there anybody who wasn’t shocked to hear the rap-tastic wordplay on “Dancing Choose”? In the end, Dear Science is probably best summed up by the chorus in “Golden Age,” as Tunde Adebimpe ecstatically proclaims 2008 to be the “age of miracles / the age of sound.” And with an album like Dear Science, which is as sonically indebted to the music of its ancestors as it is completely unique in style and execution, how could you not believe him? ~crob3888~


2 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (1772)

It's surprising to hear something so personal and intimate as this album in this day and age. I have a feeling that if I bared my soul as openly as Justin Vernon did on this record, I would hide away the results for the rest of my life in a safe-deposit box wrapped in chains in a mine that reaches the center of the earth. But then, I'm not musically talented, and Vernon most obviously is. Sometimes all you need to make a masterpiece is a guy, a guitar, some heartbreak, and a remote cabin in Wisconsin. ~Chamberk~


3 Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (1639)

Seattle’s Fleet Foxes took the My Morning Jacket/Band of Horses route to create arguably the best debut album of 2008. While the band’s musical arrangements aren’t very complex, their songs incorporate vocal harmony to give their sound richness and warmth that few bands can match. Their self-titled debut LP came out in June, but it seems best-suited for those lazy days spent indoors while watching the snow fall outside. Led by vocalist/guitarist Robin Pecknold, the band really lets their harmonies shine on “White Winter Hymnal” and “Ragged Wood” while the lush “Blue Ridge Mountains” serves as the standout of standouts on this balanced record. And “Oliver James” is the perfect closer as the lone guitar cuts off and we hear Pecknold sing the last few bars of the song a cappella. Oh, and these guys released one of the best EPs of the year in Sun Giant, including two of their best songs yet in “English House” and “Mykonos”. With the kind of year that Fleet Foxes have had, it’s safe to say we’ll be hearing more of these guys in the years to come. ~Elitist_Pretentious~


4 Deerhunter - Microcastle (1513)

Where does a band like Deerhunter go after an album like Cryptograms? They release a double album (and yes, it is a double album) called Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. that lets the band segregate their brand of shoegazey noise pop into two separate entities. On one half, they fully embrace their pop tendencies. Microcastle is Deerhunter being a rock band. They have enough hooks, guitar solos and good old fashioned jams to convince anyone that they are indeed a rock band, a prime example being the song “Nothing Ever Happened.” However much Microcastle rocks, there is still its toned-down middle section, which finds the band at an unusual place. It does not consist of ballads and is certainly not the ambience of Cryptograms, but the other songs revolve around this quiet center, like an eye of the storm. Following the epic closer “Twilight at Carbon Lake” is the second half of the release, Weird Era Cont. This disc would have been the next logical step for the band had it wanted to embrace its noise tendencies, though Weird Era would have been impossible for anyone to predict. It has many ambient/noise cuts that find Deerhunter at its most experimental and most work as stand-alone tracks rather than interludes. Even the tracks with vocals on it are noise-tinged so that nothing on the disc aside from the epic version of “Calvary Scars” resembles the crisp melodies of the songs found on Microcastle. The two discs work something akin to Lewis Carroll’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” where each side is a topsy-turvy version of the other. Whereas Microcastle’s second track has the dreamy pop of “Agoraphobia,” Weird Era’s second track is “Operation,” a song that sounds like it could actually be from a dream, with its false endings and its strange time changes. There is no eye of the storm to bind the second disc, yet it feels strangely cohesive. Together, the two discs combine to give something for everyone and find Deerhunter at its best. ~joymonger~


5 Portishead - Third (1414)

Sharp like a knife, Third bites at you like a dog that's been restrained for far too long. With jutting synths that stab, burning guitars and drums that sound like they were recorded in a laboratory, it doesn't appear to be a record that would be widely praised. It's like the Kronos Quartet accidentally walked into a hip-hop show headlined by a moody opera singer and they all thought "Screw this." and started jamming. But really, it all works perfectly. It shouldn't, but it does. Of course no album can be described so simply and there is much more to Third than the assumed Portishead 'trip-hop' (?), but it all fits. 'Machine Gun' wouldn't fit anywhere else on anything else but here, and if you're in the mood it can hit you real hard. Perhaps the best way to describe the album is to look at the italics we use to type it out, and how it differs from normal type. (eg. Third vs. Third) It's music, but slanted and can mean different things depending on who's interpreting it. For the unconvinced, Third is unique and highly polished. It is obviously the work of talented artists that care about what they do, and it sounds fantastic. What more could you want in an album? ~bushn~


6 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (1100)

This band have divided lots of opinion, sparked a lot of debate and got people talking lots about a new band, not witnessed to such vast quantities since The Strokes. Vampire Weekend seem like they came straight out of a Wes Anderson movie with many influences from classical to African to straight up indie. They might not cut the cake live exactly, but no-one could deny the high ambition on their debut album whether they found it listenable or not. For those that did high-five it, the wit, the wisdom and the wealth of insight from such a young band was the main draw. Their next move will be even more interesting to their fans though, as a fall from grace a la’ Franz Ferdinand does not seem likely from a band that is certainly not dull. ~petrolfire~


7 The Dodos - Visiter (938)

Though “freak folk” has already been tied to artists like the Animal Collective or Joanna Newsome, the Dodos’ sound could easily be applied to the same label while sounding like neither. This year’s release,Visiter, leans more toward the freak side than their debut Beware of the Maniacs, but is just as infectious. Opener “Walking” begins simply enough as a folk tune, but things quickly change in the following “Red and Purple.” The album is filled with memorable hooks, catchy choruses and enough clever lines to make multiple listens a treat. The duo that makes up the Dodos is more than proficient at what they do and their technical abilities really shine when things are at their craziest, with “The Season” being the likely pinnacle. Even though they’ve since added another percussionist to the group, sometimes it’s hard to believe that it’s just an acoustic guitar and a drum kit that is making all that noise. ~joymonger~


8 The Walkmen - You & Me (925)

With You & Me, The Walkmen built one of the most complete albums of 2008. It's of a piece, a whole cloth constructed from its simple constituent elements, like a scarf wrapped about the neck and head. Each song's exceedingly simple elements – the almost off-key vocals, icicle guitar riffs, basso profundo base, simple-chord synthesizer and resonant, martial percussion – build moody tunes that are more than the sum of their parts. The mix is just right, with each component pushed to the front, equal on an atmospheric, often restrained, plane. On past releases, The Walkmen have let themselves explode a bit, as with “The Rat” but, across all of You & Me, they're a band of considerable restraint. The songs are coiled, ready to strike – like that scarf would jump right off and get all up in somebody's face, spewing a load of frustration you didn't know you hid, or jerking tight, angry, right around your own throat – but don't. There's no explosion, no release. Why go there? Rage is as at least as temporal as joy in the landscape of You & Me. It all passes. Just keep moving. Moving on, in time and person, is a consistent lyric image and the album moves well across the whole, from the solid opener through an essential instrumental interlude to the third track where mood and quality is sustained to the end. It's an album that asks to be heard as a whole, in its arranged order, as much as any I've heard for some time. It's a casually polished piece of subdued chamber rock, where the highs are never too high and the lows aren't all that bad. It's best appreciated by somewhat alienated folks, people who know they're as much a part of “out there”as they are “in here,” wherever that might be, apart from their surroundings. It's a fine companion for passing through the quotidian urban world or shutting out, but not forgetting, the work-a-day world. Winter is its season. In tempo, mood and existential outlook, it's a close cousin to The National's Boxer. If there's a single piece of lyrical pith, an emotional center to the whole, it's probably: “And into the fire / I'll tell you I love you.” ~outis~


9 Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight (893)

A few years ago, Frightened Rabbit was the stage name used by Scott Hutchison for his solo shows. Now as a full-fledged band, the group’s sophomore album gives The Twilight Sad a run for its money in the battle for the best album sung with a full Scottish accent of the decade. While Midnight Organ Fight isn’t quite in the same genre as 2007’s Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters, these Rabbits put out a superb album in their own right. Perhaps the best breakup album since Stars’ Set Yourself on Fire, its fatalistic attitude towards sex and relationships (the album’s title is a reference to sintercourse), this album seems as it would be a perfect musical soundtrack for the movie Closer. Case in point, highlight “Keep Yourself Warm” warns of the dangers of substituting physical lust for a loving relationship. “My Backwards Walk” tells the tragic tale of a man who is too weak to let go of a relationship that he knows is past due, while “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms” has the protagonist warning an ex-lover to avoid other men when he is still not over her. In the end, what makes The Midnight Organ Fight such an engaging, inspired listen is how easily we can all relate to the themes that the band presents on this album. ~Elitist_Pretentious~


10 The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (866)

Amazingly, the RAA remains unsigned despite recording one of the best indie rock albums of decade. Made up of only three members, lead vocalist and guitarist Nils Edenloff, and two percussionists Amy Cole and Paul Banwatt, their sound is simple, raw, honest, varied, and astoundingly refreshing. Despite the RAA being only a trio, the songs on Hometowns are surprisingly varied. The range of the band is highlighted by the country-like acoustic riff of the second track “Rush Apart”, which stands in stark contrast to the explosive punkish electric guitar in “The Deathbridge in Lethbridge”. No matter the style that the RAA undertakes throughout the album, the strengths of the band shine in each: Edenloff’s plaintive and emotionally honest vocals which have evoked numerous comparisons to Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, Banwatt’s energetic drumming which is reminiscent of Brian Devendorf’s work on The National’s Boxer, and Cole’s pitch perfect harmonizing. Although the lyrics are simple, they are earnest and often effective. “Frank AB”, which discusses a terrible mining accident in the town of Frank, Alberta, ends with a chilling outro “Under the rubble, of a mountain that crumbled, I will hold you forever.” Perhaps the most stunning moment of the album occurs on “Don’t Haunt This Place”, when Cole’s backing vocals create a pitch perfect harmony for the chorus, while Banwatt’s energetic drumming playfully intermingles with gorgeous wistful cello. It’s a spine-tingling moment that truly highlights the desperation and longing of the lyrics “Because we need this oh so bad”. The fact that the RAA has made it into this year-end list, despite being unsigned and unpromoted (except by us here at Metacritic) is a true testament to the beauty and vitality of Hometowns. It is only a matter of time before a record label reissues this album and catapults the RAA to Bon Iver-like success. ~The Fall of Troy~


11 M83 - Saturdays = Youth (824)

another world. a distant dream. bright moving colours. warm air. sweetness. innocence. a wonderful past. a place where you can’t be anymore. beauty. This is what Saturdays = Youth is all about. ~eggtweedyegg~


12 Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (725)

Aside from being the band behind one of this decade’s finest albums, Apologies to the Queen Mary, Wolf Parade are probably best known for the incredible amount of side projects lead songwriters Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner are associated with. Usually, this is an indicator of a band in its twilight. The quality of the music declines as energy is spent elsewhere. For Wolf Parade, however, it is simply evidence of the tremendous amount of creative talent present in our generation’s best dual-songwriting team, as At Mount Zoomer proves to be better than anything they have done individually since that 2005 debut. A cacophony of keyboards, guitars, synthesizers and percussion are the soundtrack to another disc full of existentialist, apocalyptic tales of spirits and urban decay. Each song carries an impending sense of doom, and the band performs them with worthy theatricality, urgently yet vaguely making declarations like Krug’s advice to a girl trying to flee her village on “Bang Your Drum”: “Take that hair out of your damned eyes.” Although they sing together only on the album’s closing, 11 minute “Kissing the Beehive,” the album’s track sequencing perfectly balances Krug and Boeckner, allowing them to inform and complement their songs, even referencing each other’s lyrics. These are two rare talents, surrounded by solid musicians, and they have written 2008’s finest album. ~theelfpat~


13 The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (694)

After the drunk and exhausted but critically acclaimed and respected Boys and Girls in America, The Hold Steady came roaring back for another round. With just the right amount of big classic-rock riffs, playful keyboards, anthemic choruses, talk-boxes, dancing harpsichord lines, guitar solos indebted to Slash, crowd-pleasing “woah-oh-ohs,” and Craig Finn’s unique delivery, Stay Positive shows off all of the things that make The Hold Steady one of America’s best bands. Arguably one of the best lyricists of our generation, Finn sings about murder (“One For The Cutters”), sex (“Navy Sheets”), drinking (“Constructive Summer”), and faith (“Lord, I’m Discouraged”), all typical Hold Steady lyrical fare. The difference is these songs are tighter, catchier, and just different enough to keep you hitting repeat. Like every Hold Steady album, we’ve come to expect nothing short of greatness from their closing number, and “Slapped Actress” is no exception, mixing loud-soft dynamics of riff-heavy rock and pounding drums with lyrics that reference John Cassevetes, all of which slowly dissolves away to a bunch of kids chanting “woah-oh-ohs” in unison. When you listen to Stay Positive, whether you are completely new to The Hold Steady or have been in love since they almost killed you, there is only one thing you'll need to know: you'll be a skeptic at first, but these miracles work. ~crob3888~


14 Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours (626)

Cut Copy are to New Order what Interpol are to Joy Division. As Cut Copy’s name implies, they borrow directly from bands, mainly from ones that were made in the eighties. However the common assertion that Cut Copy’s sophomore album could also be from the eighties is a bit wide of the mark. Only with the hindsight to take a little bit of good from every inspirational 80’s band, from Echo & the Bunnymen to XTC, and to use a technicolored dreamcoat of modern production sensibility , can Cut Copy ultimately sound relevant to this decade. ‘In Ghost Colours’ is dizzying and has a seamless order of sequencing. Picking a favourite track is like having to choose chocolate over sex, but what is certain is that this album wants to take you long into the night, and quite right too. ~petrolfire~


15 Why? - Alopecia (556)

There are times in a man’s life ends right in front of your face peals off the paint continues to drain in the sink down slowly you discover a cave in on a snake bites your arm is not long enough to reach outside your house in the lawn ornaments look to be swan songs for actors are mannequins come to life at night on the highway tunnels into the ground up powder on the slopes away from you can’t hear the phone is dead flowers in the window is open and the sky light is full of fire. Your head spins like a boxer. You’re breathing in bursts. You can taste blood. But you just keep punching, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat… This is the land of Alepocia. This is Why? ~Shadrach~


16 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals (515)

There were many times this summer that I looked like the silliest white person on Earth. Detailed research has shown that Girl Talk’s “Feed The Animals” was to blame for almost every time. The reason is clear too, Girl Talk’s latest commands you to dance. Not in the calm “proper” way either. Feed The Animals’ will have you flailing around like a man with no bones, no drugs necessary. The reason for all of this is the superb matching of songs into the best in the genre since DJ Shadow’s seminal “Entroducing”. There are simply far too many individual awesome moments to list, and some are more likely to become favorites to different people (My absolute favorite is the pairing of Big Country, Afrika Bambaataa, Tag Team into the best 1980’s revival this side of Chinese Democracy). In the end Feed The Animals is more than just a party anthem, it’s a lesson in sampling. If you want to party to it though, I can’t blame you. ~Lawrence_Of_Suburbia~


17 Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping (453)

Kevin Barnes is anything but self-conscious, but Skeletal Lamping would be far less remarkable if he was. In this sexually charged and frantic set of boisterous tunes, Barnes masquerades as his “black she-male” alter ego, Georgie Fruit. And this disguise is probably a good thing, because only the lovable Georgie could get away with lines like “We can do it soft-core if you want / but you know I can take it both ways.” This is an album that reveals its magnificence over time, rewarding the patient listener. Once you’re able to anticipate the harsh transitions between song fragments, you become like a kid in a candy store captivated by the vast array of delicious sounds Barnes — I mean, Georgie — has created. No, you may not find everything to be so sweet — the incredible variety of sounds almost demands that you find something not to your liking. But as a whole, this perplexing experiment is certainly the most fun listening experience of 2008. Long live Georgie Fruit! ~Senator_Colin~


18 Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster... (430)

When I first heard this album, I was sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, going nowhere fast. As the first sugar-rush guitar, keyboard, and drums came blasting out of my speakers into my ears, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of irony. Crafting extremely elegant and catchy pop songs, Los Campesinos!’ debut album was extremely witty, delivering lyrics with the awesome 1-2 punch of male-female singers. With lines expressing modern sentiments about the difficulty of daily life like “Broken down like a war economy // Father Fuhrer, don’t be mad at me,” this album will win over anybody who likes to shout along with sugar-coated pop music that incorporates stringed instruments in a way that works as successfully (but with obviously different purpose) than those in an Arcade Fire song. First single, “You! Me! Dancing!” was nothing but pop perfection, with a noisy two minute build-up that creates so much tension you will be forced to tap your foot along with the beat when everything gives way to an amazingly captivating chord progression. I defy anybody to find me a band that sounds more like Arcade Fire on an entire case of Red Bull than this band already does. ~crob3888~


19 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! (419)

Nick Cave’s newest album is full of the things we have all come to expect from the aging genius of grimy goth-punk-rock barroom songs, but with more of the raw and energetic feel of last year’s self-titled release by Grinderman. Usually, artists at the age of 50 have already fallen completely down the path of irrelevance or struggle to make new albums that compete with their glory-days; check the back catalogues of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and Bruce Springsteen for proof. Cave, however, has created an album so vibrantly stirring and full of life (despite the innumerable death metaphors) that it is entrancing from even the first listen. Cave doesn’t waste time getting to business with opening track “Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!,” retelling the story of Lazarus but putting it in a modern setting, sing-speaking in perfect rhythm, all over the strutting guitar riffs, playful bass-line, and screeching noises right out of left-field. Other highlights on the album include the creepy-crawly “Night of the Lotus Eaters”, the sing-along melodies and sha-la-las of “Albert Goes West,” the incessant bass-line that drives “Today’s Lesson”, the breakdown in “We Call Upon the Author” (Prolix! Prolix! Nothin’ a pair of scissors can’t fix!). Cave even puts on his best Springsteen impression on “Hold On To Yourself,” a real treat to hear. But none of these compare to the final track, “More News From Nowhere,” a drunken and drugged 8-minute epic that shows off Nick Cave’s best trait: being completely bonkers. And for that, we don’t simply admire him; we love him. ~crob3888~


20 Shearwater - Rook (412)

The piano is a defenseless instrument. You can’t carry it with you from your home. No one plays it in the subway tunnels for money. There was never a man who has run and danced while playing it. The very nature of the piano is to sit yourself up against a wall with your back to the room, leaving yourself exposed and fragile. And the sounds that echo from it are just as vulnerable. Trembling strings hidden in the box cry out with the collapsing keys, like children in their beds during a thunder storm. Shearwater understands the fantastic creatures that live in the heart of a piano, and they gently coax them out into the light for Rook. The melodies they play are wonderful, magical, and beautiful with a sinister undercurrent. The songs rock you to sleep and then wake you up just as some beast tries to drag you off into darkness. The songs sail off into a deep purple sunset, and then vanish into dense fog and a full moon. And it does all of it while slowly winding piano strings around your wrists and ankles. It's so gentle that you will hardly realize you are bound until the end comes and you find yourself hidden deep inside Meiburg's piano. Also, dude likes birds. ~Shadrach~


21 No Age - Nouns (409)

With the success of last year's compilation Weirdo Rippers, there was a definite buzz surrounding the band. It's been quite the year for California rockers, No Age, though: Dean Spunt and Randy Randall toured the U.S., were featured on everything from Pitchfork T.V. to MTV, were signed to a major indie label, and oh, yeah, they made a gritty, noisy, mess of a beauty with Nouns. Sprawling with loud and spiraling two-minute songs, this thirty minute gem was everything anyone could have hoped for: lyrics that embrace the new youth, music that can be piercing and still have a wonderful melody deep inside and do-it-yourself spirit that portrays earnestness and realness. There are moments throughout the album of ambient coziness, ("Things I Did when I was Dead") where everything just washes over you like a cloud of comfort and an even-keel of raucous sound-beaters to choose from. It's a gripping clutter of the best kind of noise: the kind of album that will leave you giddy with excitement, the kind of listen that shocks all of your senses, and the kind of music that you just want to play repeatedly, without ever stopping. ~FragileKidA~


22 Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair (408)

At this point, it’s fair to say that disco’s resurgence has become synonymous with Hercules and Love Affair’s self-titled release –an ascription keyed more towards the record’s influences than the finished product. But, while it’s approached with revivalist, whole-hearted nostalgia, disco’s only a starting point –producer Andy Butler draws from many of dance music’s notable incarnations: funk, acid house, early 90s dance pop, layering them with a trifecta of vocalists (Antony Hegarty, Kim Ann Foxman and Nomi Ruiz) and creating, in the process, something that’s both familiar and unique. Hercules and Love Affair is an album celebrating both dance and dance culture from past to present, and if nothing else, the funk influenced disco of “Hercules Theme”, the captivating vocal loops and bells of “You Belong”, and the giant F U to buyers of the import: “Classique #2” and “Roar”, prove this. Less danceable numbers, notably the restrained “Iris”, allow Butler’s songwriting breathing room, and on repeated listens, reveal the most interesting (and perhaps offputting) aspect of the album: how at odds it feels with itself. Surprisingly earnest lyrics are paired with danceable beats, allowing, in the case of standout “Blind”, for songs that are both heartfelt and infectious. At other times, the lyrics, such as the tongue-in-cheek mythological references, push the album to within inches of parody. All in all, Hercules and Love Affair is an album of invention and reinvention: simultaneous homage to dance eras past, and recreation in present tense. ~j-pop~


23 Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (396)

Wrapped around a theme that combined film and music, last year's The Stage Names influenced the band's belated reverence and recognition. This year's album follows suit: the companion piece to The Stage Names, The Stand Ins is another collection of sparkling songs—the kind that gleam with skillful songwriting, radiate with compelling melodies and most importantly, dazzle with inspiration. Like every other erstwhile album, there is something to love for every music fan. The marvelous wordplay between Will Sheff and Jonathan Meiburg on "Lost Coastlines," that makes up one of the best songs of the year, the fantastic storytelling that is "Calling and Not Calling My Ex," all encompassed into one catchy ball of rock, or the luminous guitar work and fitting horns on the laid-back, "Starry Stairs," all add up as another terrific addition to this band's worthy collection. It's OK to let go of the old times with new and inviting songs as influential as the aforementioned, and if not, as Sheff sings, "If you don't love me, I'm sorry." ~FragileKidA~


24 Blitzen Trapper - Furr (394)

Following the triumph that was last year's sprawling, surprisingly cohesive, and outstanding Wild Mountain Nation, there were certainly great expectations for these group of Northwesterners—and with Furr, everything has been delivered, ten-fold. Whereas the band's previous effort was an oft-loud and raucous array of sound; here, it's all about channeling Neil Young and Bob Dylan. The aim remains intact; a lot of the songs on the album rely on Eric Earley's strong songwriting chops and the band's eclectic use of varying sounds and styles. The title track is undoubtedly some of the finest song-writing of the entire year and the standouts are immeasurable. The vivid energy, the folksy guitars that can quickly turn into switchblade roars and a steady use of piano all highlight what is an exceptional album. Furr may not be as extensive as its predecessor but this feels like a solid progression for a band that is due for some recognition. And this proves that Blitzen Trapper will continue to grow and challenge themselves with each subsequent release. ~FragileKidA~


25 Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III (379)

Tha Carter III is not the album you think it is. Hits like “A Milli”, “Lollipop”, and “Mrs. Officer” may have been this summer’s de-facto party anthems but at its core C3 is much more than your typical hip hop album. Wayne’s latest is 76 minutes of pure bliss from a man at the top of his game. The album simply contains more classic moments than any other album this year, the frenzied opening minute of “3 Peat”, the Vince Young line from “Dr. Carter”, the ending speech of “Don’t Get It” to name a few. Carter III is chock full of these career making moments. This album is past the stage where one can deny its brilliance, or the charisma of Wayne himself. In an age of ring tone rappers and songs about children’s pool games C3 stands as a shining example of what happens when a talented artist brings their A-game. An essential recording of the year for any fan of music. ~Lawrence_Of_Suburbia~


26 Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (353)

The album Coldplay wish they could have made. ~crob3888~


27 The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave (353)

2008 could well be remembered as the year of the Dylan-esque vocal. Bands such as The Felice Brothers and Turner Cody tried their hand at the Dylan sound (not to mention Dylan’s own release). The Tallest Man On Earth will likely been seen as the most successful of these Dylan sound-alikes. “Shallow Grave” this first full length album by Dalarna bred Kristian Matsson, harkens back to the raw, early Dylan sound when Dylan was still more similar to Woodie Guthrie than the electric version of himself found on albums such as “Highway 61 Revisited” and “Blonde On Blonde”. “Shallow Grave” is an album that is stripped to basics (just guitar and vocals) yet the combination of Matsson’s furious guitar picking and vicious snarl give the album a full sound. Stand-out tracks like “A Gardener” and “I Won’t Be Found” work off of catchy guitar lines and solid vocals. The power and sound of this album came as a complete surprise to me and many others familiar with Swedish music because of its clear American influence. There is no trace of indie pop in this album and Matsson is infinitely more similar sounding to American contemporaries like The Felice Brothers than Jens Lekman. Who would have thought that it would take a Swedish perspective to bring out the very best in traditional American music? ~Dr. Awesome~


28 Department of Eagles - In Ear Park (341)

Memories are ghosts. We try to ignore their existence as we struggle blindly into the future. We have our grown-up hopes and ambitions, our schedules and attentions as maxed out as our credit cards until that moment when our memories are summoned up to haunt us again without warning. The incantations are quick and simple; a cup of coffee in a dark blue cup, the pealing dashboard or a dusty Oldsmobile, a child’s voice singing to himself down a wooden hallway, and suddenly there is another presence in our minds. We are drawn back into our past as if in a dream. And it’s in these woozy half formed memories that we find The Department of Eagles relaxing on their guitars and drums waiting to soundtrack our journey. Because memories are ghosts and the Department of Eagles are a band of ghosts. In Ear Park plays like the mysterious sonnet from a band chained to songs that relive a past full of joy, sincerity, love, honor and hope that they cannot help but see, hear, smell, taste, and always feel. But they paint into the landscape of the songs the same pain, uncertainty, insecurity and regret of people who, like any of us, can never again touch or change their past. They are cemented to it, chained to it, and this is their story. ~Shadrach~


29 Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances (329)

This is, quite simply, one of the angriest albums I've heard in a while. Hell, we live in an angry era; it's about time somebody cried "Party Foul!" on the entire human race. The blunt 'FUCK YOU' in the opening minutes of "Fear and Loathing in Mahweh, NJ" unleashes the nihilistic bombast that empowers the rest of this album. The anthemic shouts at the end of "Titus Andronicus" and the beefed-up rockabilly rhythms at the heart of "Arms Against Atrophy" are like the sounds of one hundred-thousand doors being kicked in across Middle America; a cavalry comprised of lo-fi yelps, muddled melodies, and undergraduate educations leading a charge against anything and everything. "The Airing of Grievances" is rough and unapologetic, the illegitimate child of academia and obscenity, the aftermath of a tantrum to end all tantrums. ~golden flea~


30 Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim (294)

When you play Laura Marling’s debut album, Alas, I Cannot Swim for your friends, there are a lot of things they will be impressed about: sweetly sung vocals that are clearly troubled by subtle undertones of heartache; acoustic arrangements that sound simply gorgeous and even include a touch of pop aesthetic; and lyrics that are immediately deep and thought provoking, not to mention those that seem to have been written with maturity that could only come through experience. But more than all those things, they’ll be most impressed that music this good was written by a girl at the ripe young age of 17. For any doubters out there, give album opener “Ghosts” a chance, and if you don’t get goosebumps listening to Laura Marling sing “Lover please, do not /fall to your knees / Its not / Like I believe in everlasting love,” you may want to check yourself for a pulse. ~crob3888~


31 Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (291)

After getting Animal Collective on us with the opening track (in a very good way), Sigur Rós go on to marry pop sensibilities with their shimmering brand of post-rock on Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. As it turns out, they make fantastic bedfellows. What I mostly mean by this is that they've become more melodic without sacrificing their dramatic builds and beautiful instrumentation. Some of the crescendos on this album are as epic as they come, too. And when they finally peak, the song erupts and I suddenly feel alive. I think this is the fabled eargasm people talk about; it's what listening to music is all about. Then they go and spend the second half of the album moping through soft piano-based folksy songs that are pretty, and certainly not bad, but much harder to get excited about. They do it better than Coldplay, but come on, even those guys have moved on past that stuff. Despite its split personality, Með etc. reflects what we already know: Sigur Rós are very gifted, and on the first half, innovative songwriters that excel in their delivery. Though not what would be called a departure in style, the Icelanders do push into new territory and prove that they can still make music that is both awesome and relevant. ~Kalib Tweli~


32 Drive-By Truckers - Brighter than Creation's Dark (287)

Normally I prefer a shorter album. The advantage to Brighter's size, other than tempering my inability to get enough of it, is that it allows the Drive By Truckers to fully explore the spectrum of Southern Gothic songwriting. They run the gamut, covering death, substance abuse, poverty, shell-shocked war vets, and general redneck tomfoolery just to name a few. "That Man I Shot" is particularly powerful, with guitars blaring and a paranoid Hood playing a man wrestling with the memory of killing a man in Iraq, repeating his thoughts over and over trying to make sense of it. Though Hood has his political convictions, he chooses to give an unbiased first-person account that focuses on the human element rather than the political. In addition to its subject matter, the music itself is quite varied, with huge guitar driven southern rock, rambling country, and slow ballads with plenty of pedal steel (for which I am a huge sucker. The Truckers are immensely talented musicians, and they could probably do a number of styles justice, but they play what's truest to them. With an album as incredible as Brighter Than Creation's Dark, it's no surprise that they're embraced by Swedes and Alabamians alike. ~Kalib Tweli~


33 Beach House - Devotion (271)

Beach House’s second album, ‘Devotion,’ required just that. It might not have the hooks of a cloakroom, but dig a little deeper and you’ll start to find the shiny treasure. Call it shoegaze, dream pop or whatever you will, generalisations are redundant here as songs like ‘Heart of Chambers’ and ‘Home Again’ will tug at those heartstrings instead of wasting time with all the rationalisation going off inside your head. Sometimes it’s so upfront, that the frankness can put a lump in the throat - “I climbed onto your altar, begged, please don't let me falter” - sings Victoria Legrand in ‘All The Years’ - but hang on tight and it will give the love right back; it’s devoted. ~petrolfire~


34 MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (269)

No Blurb Submitted.


35 Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (265)

Tell me what to swallow you say? Well it depends how well you can digest Crystal Castles self-titled debut. I remember when I was younger playing my Nintendo or Sega and I used to go to the options panel of the video game -where it allowed you to listen and play each sound the game offered- and I used to create my own 10 second songs. Crystal Castles took the joy of that and created an in your face annoyingly entertaining screechy dance punk rebellious outcast album that fit in with the crowd ever so well. Who can deny the delectable "Untrust Us", "Air War", "Courtship Dating", "Good Time", the disco-tinged "Vanished" and "Love and Caring"? People who need an endoscopy for digesting enjoyable music…? ~BAFé~


36 The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride (264)

John Darnielle is one of those hard-working guys who keeps on making great music year after year. I only recently discovered him, so I'm glad his latest new album is just as good as, if not better than, the rest of his stuff. Telling stories of various people trapped in their obsessions and lost in their neuroses, Heretic Pride is an intensely great record. The days of his low-fidelity guitar recordings over tape hiss are over; now that he's expanded his sound there are few better performers - and, in my opinion, no better lyricists - in folk-rock. And did I mention he's hard-working? Not one, but TWO EPs after this album came out. One of which has a song about Toad from Mario Bros. Hell yeah, folks. ~Chamberk~


37 British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? (259)

No Blurb Submitted.


38 Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak (250)

Experiencing heartache, due to the loss of his girlfriend and fiancée, as well as the loss of his mother; Kanye West, naturally, took some time off to gather himself and prepare for his next album. During this hiatus, West realized something deep and profound. He realized that his mother and God would want him to channel all of his hurt and pain into music. It was with this epiphany that West assured himself that he belongs with the pantheon of musical giants. Inspired by the TR-808 machine that producer and friend, Jon Brion, introduced him to, West developed his most direct album to date: 808s & Heartbreak—a gorgeously poignant, electronically-infused, and ingeniously crafted masterpiece. The music is startling brilliant: it features choir-like vocals and tribal beats, such as loud booming basses, rhythmic snares, and precise toms, with West singing on every single song. The subject matter revolves around love, loss, depression, moving-on, grief, mourning and yes, heartbreak. 808s & Heartbreak is an honest, superb album and sincerely powerful—an exceptionally remarkable piece of music. ~FragileKidA~


39 Beck - Modern Guilt (243)

From the opening reverberations of deep bass and washed out keyboard plinking of “Orphans” to the incessant drums and swelling strings that close out “Volcano,” Beck’s newest masterpiece, “Modern Guilt,” is an album that follows its own path and never looks back. If there is one thing we can admire about what Beck and co-producer Danger Mouse accomplished on this album, it’s that they weren’t afraid to follow an idea completely down the rabbit-hole; take the bass and drum song “Replica” as a perfect example. Elsewhere, Beck sings about what it means to have modern guilt, knowing something is wrong but not knowing whether or not to feel responsible for it. Sometimes, even, the music takes a crowd-pleasing stance while the lyrics reflect on darker subjects, like the danceable title track and “Gamma Ray” (only Beck could make global warming sound this much fun!). But, you’ll also find Beck ruminating on weirder things, like the composition of souls on “Soul of a Man”. Overall, though, Modern Guilt is album that acts as a merger of opposites – the genre-hopping aesthetic of Odelay with the bare folk and ghostly orchestration of Sea Change, the urge to make people dance with a desire to make them reflect on the world within and without them – which causes Modern Guilt to sound simultaneously relevant and yet timeless in a year when so many things seemed to be changing uncontrollably in the world we live in, all quietly reflected through the eyes of a boy who grew up in L.A. ~crob3888~


40 The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (234)

Bruce Springsteen. Ok, now that I’ve gotten THAT out of the way, I can actually talk about some things that don’t simply scratch the surface of the brilliance of this album. The Gaslight Anthem obviously love The Boss and his music, re-quoting his lyrics an innumerable number of times, but they play with a ferocity that makes this band rock so hard that you’ll sometimes be reminded more of The Ramones and their energy-inducing music than the oft-subdued rock the lyrics reference. Nothing about this album sounds like it’s from 1959, except perhaps the occasional Bo Diddly rhythm or the subtle backing vocal harmonies that beg to be sung along with. The album opens with the killer 1-2 punch of “Great Expectations” and “The ’59 Sound,” the latter of which is an amazingly heart-felt song that ponders whether or not you’ll hear your favorite song when your soul moves on from this world into the next. It may not break new ground for music, but this album retreads old ground so well that you’ll be glad this band gave you the chance to revisit it. ~crob3888~



Thanks to everybody who submitted write-ups, I have a few other albums that landed in the top 100 that got write-ups, so feel free to post those as comments if you would like to have them read by everybody.

Here's to hoping 2009 is as great (if not better) than 2008!

I wrote three reviews for albums that did not crack the top 40, so, I'm going to post them anyway:

46. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

On Broken Boy Soldiers, The Raconteurs’ debut, there was a tension between the Detroit classic rock leanings of Jack White and the more brit-pop stylings of co-founder Brendan Bensonv, which resulted in a sometimes brilliant, but inconsistent effort. With Consolers of the Lovely, the Raconteurs have become more comfortable with these different influences. The result is a much more consistent, mature, and satisfying sound.

The melding of these differing influences are best seen in the opening title track, and the tremendous one-two punch of "Many Shades of Black" and "Five on the Five." On the opener, White's bluesy guitar riff builds into shifting tempos. The vocals by Benson are smooth and polished, and White's vocals during the bridge are gritty and expressive. "Many Shades of Black" showcases Benson's strength as a crafter of pop melodies, with strong Motown influenced horns in the background. "Five on the Five" features driving guitar riffs to a strong backbeat and White's always energetic vocals."

Some critics have characterized the album as being chaotic. The songs jump from straight forward White Stripes garage rock ("Salute Your Solution") to piano driven pop ("You Don't Understand Me") to British Invasion pop with a touch of southern rock ("Old Enough") to western ("The Switch and the Spur"). White's swagger and spunk, however, are the unifying threads that tie this album together. In melding these different influences and styles, the Raconteurs create a sound that is similar enough to the White Stripes to make it instantly appealing, but different enough to keep the album fresh and innovative.

50. R.E.M. - Accelerate

R.E.M. finally found its way back to its roots, making its best album in more than a decade. After the retirement of Bill Berry in 1996, the band made a series of disappointing albums. After the surprisingly dull sound of Around the Sun, the band sought to reinvent itself. The sound of Accelerate is the sound of an energetic and edgy band before it started selling out large stadium shows on world tours. In other words, it’s the sound of R.E.M. circa 1988's Green.

The opening three tracks on Accelerate rock harder and more convincingly than anything the band has done since Green. You hardly get a chance to breathe between the last buzzing guitar note of “Living Well Is The Best Revenge” before the next driving guitar intro on “Man Sized Wreath” begins. These songs feature Michael Stipe’s strongest vocals in a decade, Peter Buck’s signature arpeggio guitar style, and the beautiful, Beach Boy-esque backing vocals of Mike Mills.

The middle of the album sags a bit, the only exceptions being the fast burning “Accelerate” and the beautiful protest song “Until the Day is Done.” But, the album finds its urgency again in the stunning back-to-back closers of “Horse to Water” and “I’m Gonna DJ,” which deliberately recalls the post-apocalyptic party ethic of “End of the World as we Know It” with the verse: “Since death is pretty final/ I’m collecting vinyl/ I’m gonna DJ at the end of the world.” By relating back to the signature song from 1987's Document, “I’m Gonna DJ” is a fitting ending for R.E.M.’s return to form. It signals that Stipe, Buck, and Mills have rededicated themselves to the sound that made them the chart-topping monsters of alternative rock.

54. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line

The Rhumb Line is an album born in the midst of terrible tragedy. In June 2007 its original drummer, John Ryan Pike, was found dead in Providence's Buzzards Bay. Rather than crumble under this tragedy, the band regrouped and released its excellent debut LP.

The first thing that grabs you about this album is the innovative use of violins and cello, which the band uses like most bands use electric guitars. The opener "Ghost Under Rocks" begins with a pulsing bass and cello intro that explodes with pounding percussion, gently plucked violin, and a strong bass-line. On the chillingly stunning cello driven ballad "Winter `05 ", the solitary cello with gently pounding bass drum portrays a devastating sense of loneliness which accentuates the wistful chorus: "If you were here, winter wouldn't pass so slow".

The band has a knack for summing up a song in one powerful, poetic line. The lyrics of "Can You Tell" perfectly sum up the lustful longing of the song: "My bed's to big for just me." The themes of death and dying appear throughout the album ("Ghost Under Rocks" and "Dying is Fine" for example), but in a life affirming manner. When the band sings in "Oh la", "We've got a lot to learn from each other, we have got to stick together," the band simply and effectively sums up their need for survival in the face of tragedy. It is this strength of song-writing that elevates Ra Ra Riot above its indie pop brethren Vampire Weekend. While both share a knack for crafting catchy, bouncy pop songs full of life and energy, Ra Ra Riot backs it up with a depth of thought in its lyrics.

Amazing job, crob. This looks great and thanks to everyone who contributed.

53. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing

For last year’s Person Pitch, Panda Bear used a wide array of samples, layered and looped them, and managed to create his own blend of sunny psychedelic pop. In Street Horrrsing, Fuck Buttons use similar techniques but instead create something less sunny and more introverted. No, it is not a quiet and reserved album. It is actually meant to be one of the loudest electronic releases of the year. Rather, it requires the listener to be the one who is withdrawn. One cannot put on this album as background music to do chores to or while driving around with a friend. It is meant to be listened to, from start to finish, as a single piece. The album opens with the twinkling of a child’s musical instrument and slowly the band builds from there, adding and looping new sounds, almost never deflating. The vocals are screamed through a toy microphone, making them usually indiscernible, but never grating. It is just another layer to them. The album requires a certain amount of patience; Street Horrrsing does not rush any sound it introduces and the build ups can take up to half a song to become realized. However loud or dense the music gets, Fuck Buttons never lets it become abrasive or just dissonant. The album would never be called a happy one, but with tracks like "Bright Tomorrow" and "Race You To My Bedroom" Street Horrrsing is strangely uplifting. It is a cathartic experience if you let it, and is one of the most intense releases of the year.

Great job Crob and everyone who contributed. All the write-ups were great. Kudos to Shadrach for the Shearwater review... paints such a great picture of the album. You captured it perfectly.

quote:

20 Shearwater - Rook (412)

There was never a man who has run and danced while playing it.

You've obviously never seen Elton John perform.

That is a great write-up Shad. Nicely done.

Hey now. Vampire Weekend are pretty good live!

quote:

Originally posted by The Fall of Troy:

quote:

20 Shearwater - Rook (412)

There was never a man who has run and danced while playing it.

You've obviously never seen Elton John perform.

That is a great write-up Shad. Nicely done.

Sadly not any more

Shadrach.... any chance your a piano player?

Yay, this site did well. No Fuck Buttons, but I'll forgive .

Would someone be able to write a blurb for an the two albums right now that didn't get one?

And it's BAfé not BAFé (sorry if I sound like a bitch, haha).

I just posted up a blurb for Fuck Buttons...oh, you mean it's glaring omission from the top 40. Yes...I was disappointed as well.

quote:

Originally posted by onFire:

Shadrach.... any chance your a piano player?

I am. But unfortunately, that was in my younger days when I was living in my parents house. living in a college dorm and then being poor and living in a one room apartment means I haven't been able to have a piano in my home for a very long time. I also don't ever play for people, so it's rare that I ever get in a room with a piano when no one else is around. I really love it though, and it's a dream of mine to someday have one in my home again.

Anyway, everyone did a wonderful job on these write-ups. I'm very impressed. I've only been able to read a handful of them, but I look forward to checking back here during my work breaks tomorrow.

well, i have a lot of reading to do. looking really good so far. thanks again for putting this together crob.

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

I am....I also don't ever play for people

heh. Reminds me of the character in Mystery Men who can become invisible, but only when no one looks at him.

quote:

Originally posted by theelfpat:

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

I am....I also don't ever play for people

heh. Reminds me of the character in Mystery Men who can become invisible, but only when no one looks at him.

Exactly. I'm a tree that only falls in the forest if no one is around to listen. There are people that actually discuss amongst themselve about wether or not I really ever make any noise. It's debateable.

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

quote:

Originally posted by theelfpat:

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

I am....I also don't ever play for people

heh. Reminds me of the character in Mystery Men who can become invisible, but only when no one looks at him.

Exactly. I'm a tree that only falls in the forest if no one is around to listen. There are people that actually discuss amongst themselve about wether or not I really ever make any noise. It's debateable.

Yay, so I'm not the only one! It's gotten to the point where I don't even mention that I play the piano, because then they just beg to hear me (it usually seems like they don't believe me, actually). But I don't actually enjoy playing other people's pieces that much...I prefer just sitting at the piano and making spontaneous compositions. Ok, sorry, I'm getting off topic.

Bushn, your description of Third is fantastic: it "bites at you like a dog that's been restrained for far too long." I've never thought about it that way, but I guess it is quite an angry album. I guess "Hunter" and the first half of "The Rip" could be like when the dog is finally nabbed and tranquilized, but there's still the uncertain tension in the air about when the dog will awake, gnashing its teeth once more.

Elitist: your description of the Fleet Foxes is dead on. Just last week, I was driving home on a snowy day listening to them. I reached my driveway, but I wasn't finished with the album, and it was just too magical for me to stop. So I kept going, probably endangering my life, but too swept up in the music to care.

quote:

Originally posted by Senator_Colin:


Bushn, your description of Third is fantastic: it "bites at you like a dog that's been restrained for far too long." I've never thought about it that way, but I guess it is quite an angry album. I guess "Hunter" and the first half of "The Rip" could be like when the dog is finally nabbed and tranquilized, but there's still the uncertain tension in the air about when the dog will awake, gnashing its teeth once more.

Thanks man, 'preciate it.

quote:

I reached my driveway, but I wasn't finished with the album, and it was just too magical for me to stop. So I kept going, probably endangering my life, but too swept up in the music to care.

Done this (not with FF though).

THANKS AGAIN CROB!

Great work crob, and all the writers.

A good read for a Monday night.