So I’ve been pretty busy all of 2008 (for those who don’t know, I am in a Master’s program with the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen and have been working on my thesis with Texas Instruments in Freising, Germany) so I tried to keep up with this year’s music releases the best I could, however I must admit I was forced to “cram” quite a lot in the month of December. With that being said, I was unable to listen to every album I wanted to. Some notable CDs that I didn’t find the time to get through completely (and thus not able to judge appropriately) include: Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust // Portishead – Third // Okerville River – The Stand Ins // Atlas Sound – Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel // Deerhoof – Offend Maggie // Shearwater – Rook // Why? – Alopecia // Alejandro Escovedo – Real Animal // Marillion – Happiness Is the Road. I think it is rather obvious that some (if not most) of those albums would have made the list. In addition, I was really only able to go through all 237 albums I acquired in 2008 once so almost certainly the list would change depending on repeat listens. Keep that in mind while reading my favorites, but ultimately the true judge lies in you. As always, I hope to include albums which you have heard and liked, heard and didn’t like, and some which you weren’t aware of at all. Contrary to what I’ve read from music critic sites, 2008 was a great year for music! So without further ado, here is my Top 40 Albums of 2008.

Let’s begin with the Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
AmpLive – Rainydayz Remixes
Abe Vigoda – Skeleton
Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
Wild Beasts – Limbo, Panto
Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreak
Destroyer – Trouble in Dreams
Born Ruffians – Red, Yellow & Blue
Hot Chip – Made in the Dark
Plants & Animals – Parc Avenue
Deerhunter – Microcastle/Weird Era Continued
The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs
Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
The Mae Shi – HLLYH
Beck – Modern Guilt
Old 97s – Blame It on Gravity
The Bug – London Zoo
Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
Jamie Lidell – Jim
The Walkmen – You & Me

Now for the main list:
40 // Kelley Polar – I Need You to Hold on While the Sky is Falling
For those who have read my past list, I like to include a wtf?!? album always as my last entry. So this year’s Scott Walker album goes to Kelley Polar (b. Michael Kelley). The album itself is a schizophrenic composition – the opening track begins with a bizarre futuristic synth/vocal intro before transitioning to a classic funk line before combining the two in a rather pleasant blend. The rest of the album isn’t much different and makes you feel like if you were abducted by aliens in the year 3115 this would be the soundtrack the non-humanoids would be listening to.
Highlights: Entropy Reigns (In the Celestial City) // Rosenband // Sea of Sine Waves

39 // Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Cardinology
Slowly slipping down the list on my favorite albums (but at least making it, unlike Bright Eyes’ front man Conor Oberst), Ryan Adams releases an all too typical alt-country with a tinge of rock album that plays it safe for easy listening but doesn’t venture out on its own much. But I guess if you are Ryan Adams, you can do that sort of thing and still make a decent album that sells even if you have an alter ego named Foggy.
Highlights: Born Into a Light // Cobwebs // Stop

38 // Jay Reatard – Matador Singles 2008
This is probably the concert I am most looking forward to see here in Munich, Germany before I leave to go home. Always known for his unabashed rock & punk style – shouting the songs names as the only intro between songs – Jay Reatard thrives on performing the sub 2:30 songs which oozes energy with every chord. He is one of the acts whose CDs don’t do him justice; you need to see him live to see what he is all about.
Highlights: Sea/Saw // You Mean Nothing to Me // Dead on Arrival

37 // Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit – The Very Best Mixtape
One of the last albums I got around to listening to, Malawi-born singer Esau Mwamwaya combines with British DJ and producer Radioclit to bring about a nice twist on world music by adding an interesting electronic theme to the album. Reminiscent of an African version of Spain’s El Guincho (only better), The Very Best Mixtape blends traditional African drums, lyrics, and instrumentation with electronic bloops and bleeps to create one of the most intriguing world music albums I’ve listened to. Not only that, but it is very easy to see yourself dancing to this.
Highlights: Wena // Tengazako (samples M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes”) // Sister Betina

36 // Foals – Antidotes
In a year when Bloc Party released the abysmally noisy Intimacy, fortunately there was another British electro-rock group to pick up the slack. Chopped full with sharp and clean guitar and fast paced drums, Antidotes is the type of album that I like jamming out when walking to work. Indeed the album is impressive, but some of the most memorable tracks come from the Bonus CD which contains ditched tracks as well as some songs from their live set in Nottingham.
Highlights: Cassius // Mathletics // Tron // Hummer

35 // Titus Andronicus – The Airing of Grievances
Following the theme of supposedly “copy cat” bands, Titus Andronicus has caught their fair share of flack for being a more rocked out version of Bright Eyes – stemming mostly from how their lead singers voice sounds eerily similar to Conor Oberst. However, where the majority of Bright Eyes songs sound more introspective and are rather reserved (chalk that to the “songwriting” ability of Conor), Titus is more keen to shoving an in-your-face style that you can’t avoid even if you tried (and you don’t want to). The low production of the album adds to that effect nicely with the bombastic style of instrumentation leaving no prisoners. As result, this would most definitely be a great band to see live.
Highlights: Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ // Upon Viewing Bruefhel’s “Landscape With the Fall of Icarus” // Albert Camus

34 // Animal Collective – Water Curses EP
Similar to NPR writer (and former guitarist of Sleater-Kinney) Carrie Brownstein’s lack of appreciation for Radiohead because she “seems to not get it,” I’ve always had that distinct misunderstanding with Animal Collective. Not always understanding what the fuss is about is not only frustrating (I want to be in on it!) but sometimes can be disconcerting. However, with Water Curses, I feel a smidgeon of hope because this is truly an interesting EP, and one of my favorites by the group. Maybe because it is more manageable is the reason why it has been left off many lists, however I find it sonically pleasing – something I can’t say about all the tracks of their former albums. With this album, every song is a highlight moving fluidly between stanzas even with frantic vocal lines giving a sense of anxiety. Who knows, maybe I can appreciate their upcoming LP Merriweather Post Pavillion. I have hope.
Highlights: Water Curses // Street Flashes // Cobwebs // Seal Eyeing

33 // The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
Badass guitar rifts: check. Piano lines that leave your mind melted: check. “Singer” Craig Finns vocals more oratory than musical: check. Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n Roll themes: check. What more could you ask for from a Hold Steady album?
Highlights: Constructive Summer // Lord I’m Discouraged // Yeah Sapphire // Magazines

32 // Sun Kil Moon – April
A stunning beautiful composition from singer/songwriter Mark Kozelek, April caused me to get the rest of his discography and I am in eager anticipation to listen to it all. April is not for the person who doesn’t have some free time on his/her hands (the album length pushes the 80 minute mark with all songs over 4 minutes) or for the person who wants only background music. April is certainly a headphone album that needs to be listened to attentively. Overall, this is a great example of musical poetry that would certainly have rated higher if I got to listen to it more.
Highlights: Lucky Man // Heron Blue // Tonight in Bilbao

31 // Evangelicals – The Evening Descent
One of my greatest finds of 2008, this relatively unknown band from Norman, Oklahoma puts together some of the best low-fi indie rock music of the year. Pumped throughout with a type of heavenly airiness (mostly due to the vocals of singer Josh Jones) that yields their name appropriate, the Evangelicals aren’t afraid of making beautiful music first with rock & roll a close second priority. I got to catch this band live in a bizarre Dead Ocean’s combo with Bishop Allen, and they left an impression on me since then (I was able to talk to them about Big 12 football in Denmark – one of the few times I got this opportunity). Plus, “Skeleton Man” is a damn good song.
Highlights: Skeleton Man // Party Crashin’ // Paperback Suicide

30 // Air France – No Way Down
One of the few albums I actually got a chance to warm up to, No Way Down has most accurately been described as “beach foam pop” – most apparent in their song “June Evenings.” These are warm songs; wrapping you in a blanket of sonic bliss that you could not imagine a band coming from the frigidness of Sweden could do. Although lyrically very simple (hell, they might even be mostly sampled for all I know), the drums and synth lines do all the work in keeping you hooked again and again…
Highlights: June Evenings // Collapsing at Your Doorstep // No Way Down

29 // Love Is All – A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night
The second LP coming from the Swedish band (another one!) Love Is All, A Hundred Things… is a slight step back from their debut if only because the sophomore album is the most difficult for bands to do. However, the album maintains the multi-instrumentation we expect from the band; starting off with a horn and sax line on “New Beginnings” which gets ultimately jumbled up in a incoherent mess before resolving back to the chorus. Lead singer Josephine Olausson’s vocals are still raucous yet somewhat lyrical. This detached art punk style of “not caring but still caring a little bit” is part of the appeal of the band, which they maintain with this album.
Highlights: Give It Back // Movie Romance // Rumours

28 // Wale –The Mixtape About Nothing
12 albums into the list and we FINALLY get some hip-hop. Note to any hip-hop artist: if you combine your flow with the theme of Seinfeld, you will make my list no matter what. Combining two of my favorite things in the world is always a great idea. With that being said, this mixtape was one of my favorites of the year. Wale (pronounced like the Pixar hero WALL-E) focuses more on making interesting lines at the expense of crisp end-rhymes. This can best be seen when Mark Ronson (in the booth) tells Wale to slow down the ending verse of “The Chicago Falcon Remix” to show the audience how “ill that verse is.” Did I mention that Julia Louis-Dreyfus is featured?
Highlights: The Opening Title Sequence // The Freestyle (Roc Boys) // The Kramer

27 // Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
Nineteen years and running and the Silver Jews still have it. As always, the appeal of the Jews has to be singer/songwriter (and published poet) David Berman’s vocals and lyrics which has spawned a generation of successful acts (The National anyone?) Surprisingly, the bands first release in three years prompted more of a whimper than a deservingly roar by the music critic circle. With Lookout Mountain… I find a nice progression with the Jews unique country sound that complements Berman’s voice. To be honest, I can easily envision Kerouac listening to this while taking to the open road.
Highlights: Aloyisius Bluegrass Drummer // Strange Victory Strange Defeat // Candy Jail

26 // Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Lie Down in the Light
Arguably one of Melanie’s favorite newly discovered act, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy returns with an album that, like the Silver Jews, snuck in more than landed in 2008. Like with any BPB album, the lyrics of this singer/songwriter are absolutely solid. Sounding like he is having more fun than sulking in the sorrow like in the monumental I See A Darkness, BPB tentative vocals tend towards the hopeful with lyrics like “You remind me of something / A song that I am / And you sing me back into myself.” In a year when beautifully lyrical singer/songwriters reign supreme, it is tough to leave out one of the modern originals with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy.
Highlights: You Remind Me of Something (The Glory Goes) // I’ll Be Glad // Lie Down in the Light

25 // Ratatat – LP3
When I first heard Ratatat’s song “Wildcat” from their Classics albums as the intro music into NPR’s All Things Considered, I knew they were something special. One of my favorite solely instrumental bands, Ratatat combines the guitar wielding expertise of Mike Shroud with the production acumen of Evan Mast (aka E*vax) to make some of the best instrumental electronic albums of the decade. Although only some songs are outright dance numbers, no matter what you can bob your head and be in awe witnessing each and every number that they perform live. Nothing exemplifies this as their opening to LP3, “Shiller.” You begin by patiently waiting for additions to the minimalist keyboard line that seem to never come. Just when you can’t take it anymore, in chimes the guitar line followed by electronic layers that make the sound so full before tapering off at the ending. I don’t know how they quite achieve this dense layering effect while still having a sense of minimalism, but I like it none-of-the-less. Regardless, it has long been missing in the Ratatat repertoire, and with LP3 they make it work to their full advantage.
Highlights: Shiller // Falcon Jab // Mirando // Bird Priest // Mumtaz Khan

24 // The Raveonettes – Lust Lust Lust
Maybe during my stint in Denmark, I drank the Kool-Aid, but one of my favorite Danish bands that I discovered (even though they have been around for a while) was the Copenhagen duo of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo. Storming onto the scene in 2008 with the superb distorted and noisy song “Aly, Walk With Me” (good enough to be featured on Letterman), The Raveonettes focus on heavy and intense electric instrumentation with dark lyrics. Although one would expect a rather drab album from this, there are hints and allusions to 50s & 60s pop with their choice of chord progressions. Combine these two and you get a completely unique sound that I have yet to see be replicated.
Highlights: Aly, Walk This Way // Lust // You Want the Candy

23 // MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
One of the questionable 2008 selections (the digital release of this album was in the latter parts of 2007), Brooklyn’s own MGMT produced an exceptional electro-pop album. Although their popularity has reached nauseating proportions in Europe (I swear, them and Katy Perry…) making it a little bit harder to take seriously, there is something to be said about an album which you can listen to straight through and have difficulty selecting your favorite song. From the bass-heavy synth on the opening of “Time to Pretend” to the wind noises of the conclusion of “Future Reflections,” the entire album is pretty solid. Maybe this is partly due to the somewhat humorous lyrics and fun-loving live set, but it is tough to root against this band.
Highlights: Weekend Wars // Kids // Electric Feel (Justice Remix)

22 // Black Mountain – In the Future/Future Sounds
Sorry Emerson, but this is about as “hard rock/psychedelic” sound as I can take (I know the absence of Torche kills you). I first heard this band on the All Songs Considered Live Podcast when they were, bizarrely, paired with fellow Jagjaguwar labelmates Bon Iver. I don’t know if one could get any further sonically from Bon Iver than Black Mountain (possibly Public Enemy), but that doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t just as good. From the opening guitar rift of the excellent song “Stormy High,” you know this is a band that rocks – most likely with the aid of illicit drugs. However, part of the appeal of Black Mountain for me is their ability to do exceptional ballads; something I think is one of the most difficult things to do. In fact, their slower songs, like “Tyrants” (wait is that FLUTE that I hear?!), are some of my favorites.
Highlights: Stormy High // Tyrants // Bright Lights

21 // No Age – Nouns
If you seen this band live you know exactly what they are about. Unfortunately, they seem to be my white whale when it comes to live shows (I missed them in Lubbock because I was in Denmark, and I missed them in Denmark because I had to see another band at Roskilde), so I’ve had to settle for youtube videos of their performances. They are punk music reincarnated and stripped down the essentials. Their first “proper” LP (as if they are suited for that title), No Age is an unapologetic no holds barred look at what noise rock + punk should look like through the eyes of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer Dean Spunt. Yes, that’s right – the auditory explosion you hear when you put on their record is from a duo. Most likely anything more would make your head explode.
Highlights: Miner // Eraser // Cappo // Ripped Knees

20 // Lykke Li – Youth Novels
Add another one to the team-Sweden tally (if only music was a category in the Summer Olympics…), Lykke Li follows a distinctly different path than the two other famous Swedish female vocalists Robyn and El Perro del Mar. Setting the oddly placed opening track of “Melodies and Desires” aside, Lykke creates some of the most infectious pop songs of 2008 without the aid of much. Less produced than Robyn and more upbeat than del Mar, Li’s vaporous vocals compliment the minimalist (sometimes electronic) instrumentation nicely creating delicately sweet love songs.
Highlights: Dance Dance Dance // Little Bit // Complaint Department

19 // Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls
A complete 180 musically from Lykke Li (yet somehow aligned with the feminist message), Vivian Girls are another piece of the noise-pop revival puzzle. With most songs under the 2 minute mark, the album gives you a “Jay Reatard” punch that keeps you down for the majority of this 20 or so minutes LP (!!). You only have a couple of seconds between each song to come up for air before heading into another sonic mosh-pit in your head. With this sort of energy on an album, add the Vivian Girls to another band I need to catch live.
Highlights: Tell the World // Where Do You Run To // Never See Me Again

18 // Department of Eagles – In Ear Park
Probably a nominee for the most ludicrous album title, In Ear Park (and more importantly Department of Eagles) is the brain child of Daniel Rossen from the band Grizzly Bear and Fred Nicolaus. If there are two bands which online music sights like to fawn over it’s Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective. However, with In Ear Park, the hype is fulfilled with a stunningly beautiful album. Although I can’t particularly hear the Randy Newman and Paul McCarthy influence they supposedly claim to have, the album has quite a connective quality. Even though the tempo varies and the sound fluctuates from song to song there is a flowing aspect to their music which makes you think that you are going somewhere, making the album not a collection of singles (as most are) but a complete work.
Highlights: No One Does It Like You // Around the Bay // Waves of Rye // Balmy Night

17 // The Cool Kids – The Bake Sale
If you are a fan of hip-hop I don’t see how you could leave this album off your best of list. The self appointed “new black version of the beastie boys,” The Cool Kids kick it mostly old-school style. Using only sparse drum beats, the Cool Kids rely heavily on their lyrical brilliance by bouncing around topics such as making breakfast to describing their wardrobe in incredible detail with only snare claps or an occasional bass pound to assist. If No Age is stripped down punk, then The Cool Kids are stripped down hip-hop, shunning the opulence associated with pop rap for a chance to tell their true lifestyle.

16 // Blitzen Trapper – Furr
Equipped with enough Daytrotter sessions to make their own double-LP, Blitzen Trapper have been doing everything short of selling their soul to make it. Cracking the Rolling Stone top 100 of 2007 (albeit #98) with their second EP “Wild Mountain Nation,” they resulted in a better showing this year (#14) with their exceptional Furr and their double exceptional title track which could very easily be the best song of 2008. The album is split between sweet folky tunes à la early Wilco which, in any other year not filled to the brim with folk/singer-songwriter albums, could have been made an LP itself and placed in the top 5. The other half are jolting indie-rock songs bordering on the psychedelic (hey, they are from Portland). Either way, they are one of the best from each genre this year – at least worthy of a listen.
Highlights: Furr // Saturday Night // Stolen Shoes & A Rifle

15 // Nas – The N***** Mixtape
Nas (aka Nasir Jones) struck quite a controversy over the title of his recent LP. Would it have the “N-word” on it or not – ultimately sticking with Untitled because of pressure from his label. However, he keeps it real and completely street with this Obama-infused mixtape courtesy of DJ Green Lantern. Regardless of what anyone says, in the words of Cornell West, Nas is a “prophetic MC,” not afraid to shy away with the plight of the present day African American, something the Souljah Boys of today don’t touch on because it might alienate their white fans. Sticking to the motifs of police brutality and racial discrimination, Nas provides a dim introspective of the US today. However, not everything is so bleak. He is hopeful for the effects of an Obama administration, while still being somewhat skeptical of his impact (looping 2Pac’s “Although it seems heaven sent / we ain’t ready to see a black President” on the track entitled “Hope”). All-in-all a great soundtrack to what America is today and where it could go from here.
Highlights: Hero // Black President // Association // N.*.*.*.*.*.

14 // Santogold & Diplo – Top Ranking
Let me make this perfectly clear: I am not a fan of Santogold. This hatred stems from the live set I caught of her at Roskilde; you can’t have your hour long set filled with 15 minutes of silence at the beginning with fans wondering where you are, the next 20 minutes filled with your DJ coming out spinning non-Santogold mixed songs followed by a 25 minute unenthusiastic performance. The performance left such a sour taste in my mouth that I have never felt before at a live set before. Plus, her album isn’t that strong in my opinion. With that being said, Diplo resurrects her from my “dead on arrival” list by creating a stellar mixtape that is of similar quality to M.I.A.’s + Diplo’s Piracy Funds Terrorism. If I had a choice of who I would want to DJ my party, it would be tough to decide between Greg Gillis (aka Girl Talk) and Diplo. He interweaves Santogold beats and vocals with some not-so-obvious choices (Panda Bear and The Clash to name a few) while providing some tracks uniquely his own without the aid of the “lesser of the two.”
Highlights: Late Night (Unstoppable Mix) // Light’s Out (Diplo’s Panda Bear Mix) // The B-52’s Mesopotamia // Guns of Brooklyn

13 // M83 – Saturdays = Youth
I first got hooked to M83 after seeing some write-ups of them by my favorite music blog iguessimfloating. This is another one of those albums that I think if I had more time to have it solidify in my mind, it would rise to a higher number. Saturdays is an absolutely beautiful work which has you almost in tears by how pleasant it sounds. Atmospheric synths and keyboards with the occasional sweet piano line combined with breezy vocals gets you disconnected with reality and almost makes you float out into the clouds if you weren’t anchored by the drum line keeping tempo. If you need a quick release from your everyday life, just switch on this album and you won’t be disappointed.
Highlights: Kim & Jessie // Graveyard Girl // Up! // Too Late

12 // Hercules & Love Affair – Hercules & Love Affair
Home to Pitchfork’s favorite track of 2008, Hercules & Love Affair’s self titled album is chalk full of disco singles that are meant to make you dance with whoever is next to you. I was fortunate enough to witness them perform in Copenhagen (minus Antony Hegarty) and it was one of my favorite shows to be a part of! They also put on a kick ass DJ set afterwards in case you didn’t leave everything on the dance floor for their main performance. Maybe it has something to do with being signed to DFA– a record company with as dense a, er…, record than anybody (LCD Soundsystem, Cut Copy, Hot Chip are some other noteworthy acts), or maybe it is putting a modern spin to an old genre, but whatever it is, you can’t help to move to the beat!
Highlights: Blind // You Belong // Athene // Raise Me Up

11 // Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
This band seems to be the universal favorite of this year, striking the #1 spot on, it seems, every other magazine and website’s list. Fleet Foxes is best described as an a cappella group who uses instrumentation as a slight crutch. Intricate five part harmonies are the rule, not the exception with this band – evident in their slightly overplayed single “White Winter Hymnal.” Despite being its debut album, the self titled LP makes you think that they have been making records the past ten years in order to achieve such precision and quality. This just makes me giddy to hear what is yet to come for the band.
Highlights: White Winter Hymnal // Tiger Mountain Peasant Song // Blue Ridge Mountains

10 // TV on the Radio – Dear Science,
This third studio album from one of the most exciting experimental rock bands of the decade has TVotR do what they do best: mix and mingle different genres together into a layered mess that somehow winds up sounding great. From the opening cut of “Halfway Home” you have the “bum bum bums” that are reminiscent of some Beach Boys style songs while the next track “Crying” has funk guitars infused with a cymbal beat hip-hop producers would love. The third track is no different with electro elements molding with shouting vocals more concerned with meter than pitch. The rest of the album is built in the same vein with surprises around every corner. With this album, it cements TVotR’s legacy as one of the greatest modern bands.
Highlights: Halfway Home // Family Tree // Red Dress

9 // Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing
Coming from my second favorite band with the F-word in its name (Holy Fuck is my favorite), Street Horrrsing is another strictly headphone album. I was able to catch some of their act while waiting in line to see Jay-Z at Roskilde, and I have to admit I was a little bewildered by their improvisation that they use for their live set. It seems like Street Horrrsing is an album which provides an insight into the band but will, most likely, never be replicated live. Constantly clashing the beautiful reverbed guitar and densely distorted sounds with screaming and wailing vocals makes this, in the word of Pitchfork’s reviewer Mark Richardson, “fill a need you didn’t even know you had.” Once I get started listening to the album, I find myself always reluctant to press the button. The work itself is one seamless 50 minute song, with the separation between tracks serving as only suggestions. It’s easy to get caught up with this album because the desire to see where it goes is so strong. Granted, this is not for everyone, but I really enjoyed this album and will have to delay writing the next review for 45 minutes.
Highlights: The entire album (Sweet Love for Planet Earth // Ribs Out // Okay, Let’s Talk About Magic // Race You to the Bedroom – Spirit Rise // Bright Tomorrow // Colours Move)

8 // Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
Another one of DFA’s own, Cut Copy is an Australian group which focuses intensely on keyboards (they had five boards set up for a group consisting of 3 people). This is another band whose set I caught in Copenhagen and was surprised with the rabid energy of the crowd (must be the Euro audiences). For a group which mostly sticks behind the keys the entire set and who’s movements consist entirely of moving one’s arms, they were able to “WOW” the crowd through just their music – a feat only few bands I’ve seen have been able to do. In Ghost Colours consist mostly of electronic elements wrapped in a pop outer-shell – something that most electro-pop bands do in reverse making you nauseated by the usual corny lyrics by the third or so track. Cut Copy, on the other hand, have you locked on the dance floor the entire time and making you want more when they end their set.
Highlights: Heart on Fire // Lights & Music // Nobody Lost, Nobody Found

7 // The Dodos – Visiter
One of my favorite albums from the beginning of 2008 but mostly forgotten by music circles by the year’s end, Visiter is one of those albums that you are left stunned by thinking to yourself “how the hell did they do that.” Composing of only a percussionist (Logan Kroeber) and an acoustic guitar player (Meric Long), it is easy to be in awe at how much sound can be created by such few elements (something the White Stripes seemed to have patented long ago). One thing that’s different with The Dodos is that after watching any one of their live videos, you come to the conclusion that they are probably one of the hardest working acts in the business by putting everything they have into each and every performance. I guess the reason for this isn’t too hard to find – every song has INSANE guitar lines at tempos that punk music wish they could achieve. Combine this with the usually half-timed lyrics, you get an interesting dichotomy between rushed and relaxed.
Highlights: Fools // Jodi // Ashley

6 // Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter III
Bar none, the best rap album of 2008. If you have read any of my other “Best of” lists, you would know that I can verify Weezy’s claim of being “the best rapper alive.” His flow is unparalleled by any other present day rapper in the business. What is interesting is that looking back to his prior works (Tha Carter I for example), you can really see how much he has improved over the years. In his Dedication III mixtape he proclaims his reason why he is so good: “to you [hip-hop] is your job, to me, this is my life. This is what I do better than anything, so why wouldn’t I do it all the time?” Tha Carter III is the most recent testament on how much ahead he is. With the exception of the album-selling single “Lollipop” and the oddly included track “Mrs. Officer,” the album could easily be the “Best Of” of any other rapper out there. I mean have you looked at the crazy lyrics of “A Milli?” It is insane. I’ll end this description with my favorite Weezy line of the entire CD: “I don’t owe you like two vowels.” – just think about that for a second and you’ll understand why he is so good at wordplay.
Highlights: A Milli // 3 Peat // Mr. Carter // Shoot Me Down // Playing with Fire

5 // Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
Another last minute inclusion at the behest of Burgers, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson produces one of the most poignant and truthful albums of 2008. The album opens with, arguably, two of my favorite songs of 2008: “Buriedfed” and “The Debtor.” The almost drunken vocals by MBAR adds to the effect of his dark lyrics contained in most of his songs (Oh, he didn’t like people much at all / tasted better with alcohol / you know how that one goes / he realized he’d missed his whole life / kissed his dog and shot his wife last night”). This is the type of album that you certainly feel for the artist regardless of whether his lyrics are autobiographical or not (I hope they aren’t because even if one song is true…). God, this has been a great year for original singer/songwriters.
Highlights: Buriedfed // The Debtor // Boneindian // Who’s Laughing?

4 // Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
I originally berated this album when it first came out primarily because of Alice Glass’s vocals, however I can’t help but admit that I probably listened to this album more than any other one during the entire year. I love the 8-bit Nintendo style electronic elements supplied by Ethan Kath. I love every cover/remix song they have done (especially the “Crimewave (Crystal Castles vs. Health)” which made me start listening to HEALTH more). Hell, I even love Glass’s vocals on the majority of tracks (actually all tracks except to “Xxzxcuzx Me”) with her sounding genuinely hauting on “Courtship Dating” and mysterious on “Black Panther.” The more I look at the titles of each track, I can’t help but love each and every song (except “Xxzxcuzx Me” – that is a pretty ugly song). All-in-all, Crystal Castles is very deserving of being in my top five albums of the year.
Highlights: Crimewave (Crystal Castles VS Health) // Courtship Dating // Vanished // Untrust Us

3 // Tallest Man on Earth – Shallow Grave
Another late edition to the list, another singer/songwriter (this time with a bluegrass element to his music), and another person from Sweden! TMoE is the moniker by Kristian Matsson whose music is anchored by his raspy voice, lyricism, and Appalachian style picking of his acoustic guitar. Shallow Grave is a beautiful album that no one would have difficulty getting through its entirety. You can thank me later if you haven’t heard of him before – Enjoy!
Highlights: I Won’t Be Found // Pistol Dreams // The Gardner

2 // Spiritualized – Songs in A&E
What you need to know: Spiritualized “belongs” to the English space rock genre, the lead singer (Jason Pierce) goes by the alias J. Spaceman, A&E was the band’s first album in four years released to the surprised of almost every music outlet (they assumed the band broke up). First off, the guy’s name is J. Spaceman – possibly the second coolest stage name behind of Montreal’s lead singer’s (Kevin Barnes) alias of Georgie Fruit. J. SPACEMAN! Secondly, I don’t know what the term space rock means, but I have a hunch the Spaceman coined this term. Thirdly, this album is AWESOME! Strikingly tripolar (if that word exists), the CD consists of 1/3 tracks which are orchestral in nature, 1/3 folk/alt-country, and 1/3 rock & roll; however it is 100% amazing. There is not a bad track in the bunch and I can listen to this album non-stop. The folk/country ballads are perfect, the rock & roll songs are hopping and the instrumental breaks allow you to breathe. Man, I love this album, and it would have been #1 except…
Highlights: Sweet Talk // I Gotta Fire // Soul on Fire // Baby I’m Just a Fool

1 // Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
…for possibly the greatest album in the past five years. Not only could I name the track listing by memory (not too difficult since it is only nine songs), but I could recite the lyrics with 95% accuracy. This album is perfect and should be the epitome of what singer/songwriting is all about. Far from being annoying, Justin Vernon’s falsetto vocals is the perfect complement to his isolated and lonely guitar playing. The music is gorgeous, the lyrics are poetry, and his performance is heartfelt. This is music at its absolute best. What more can be said?
Highlights: Flume // Skinny Love // Blindsided // For Emma // Re:Stacks

For some of the top tracks, I made an iMix which you can click here to see. Apparently iTunes doesn’t have all of the tracks, so you’ll have to settle for an incomplete list — but at least you get to hear 30 second snippets on a lot of the tracks.