The Best Albums of 2008

Allright I've been talking about it for weeks now and I will deliver THE GREATEST ALBUMS OF 2008. That's right download these to if you like good music folks. Whereas some year-end music reviews will include Randy Newman's new stuff his will not (though I have always enjoyed "I love L.A." I can't say the same about the actual town. I think I will reserve that for another list. A list of towns that doesn't give the songs about them justice.) Anyways heres the list:

10. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts/The Slip - Wow, 2 great albums in one year and one of them was free. A great traditional Album along with an even better Instrumental album. Ghosts may be the best thing that Reznor has put together since the Fragile. Truly a duo that can be described as beauty and the beast.

9. Al Green - Lay it Down - It's about time that Brother Al realized that he didn't need to make a contemporary album. News flash Al your not Usher. As long as he goes this route I am down with Brother Al.

8. Black Mountain - In The Future - Canadian prog rockers decide to fly the freak flag. Awesome. If you like your rock with a psychedelic aspect to it get this album. Huge Drums and great guitars really raised my eyebrows on this album.

7. Clinic - Do it - Rad music from across the pond, for fans of Franz Ferdinand and other new wave-ish bands. I was tremendously surprised to hear it sound this good. I had listened to it for about 3 weeks straight right after it came out. Truly one of the surprises of the year for me.

6. Black Angels - Directions to See a Ghost - UNBELIEVEABLE. The Best psychedelic album of the year, this album was so great it inspired me to go out and get everything else this band did. Please check them out if you like psycheledic rock written by the most paranoid stoners I have ever heard. Songs about vikings are also common as well as a 16 minute jam that will blow your mind all over your face. Simply just a strong album by a great band.

5. Beck - Modern Guilt - Dangermouse and my favorite Scientologist make the funkiest album about the end of the world. If your a fan of the pop music of the sixties Dangermouse puts together some of the best beats anybody has crafted in a while. This was another album I listened to for about 2 months straight. I listened to it to the point that it screwed up my top 25 list on itunes, I am just now getting everything else caught up with this album. Luckily though if this is the music of the end of the world sign me up.

4. She & Him - volume one - Actress Zooey Deschanel and local boy M. Ward make the best Alt. Country Album of the year. Can we go back in time and replace Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line. Seriously this girl has the singing chops. I don't care if she never makes another movie again just keep making music.

3. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust - I may be a sigur ros fanboy but I thought this album was beautifully constructed. From top to bottom I can't think of a miss on this thing. I never would have thought that Sigur ros would have made such an easily accesible album for people since the music they make is typically so introverted. However this is a truly happy album with great songs. If you have never heard Sigur Ros you should definitely start with this album.

2 Santogold - Santogold/Top Ranking - I don't care if people are saying that she is just an M.I.A. clone, she's amazing and I would disagree with the statement. She has expanded herself sonically far more than M.I.A. with song types as varied as Dub, Pop, Electronic, as well as Rock. She weaves through these different types of music seamlessly and comes out with beautiful music with production from Switch and Diplo. And she did this twice this year is which is remarkable. I don't believe anyone is as thankful she decided to stop writing songs for Ashlee Simpson as I am, I'm just thrilled that she decided to plant her own flag as an artist. I will even leave you with two videos from her.





1. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont'd - Unfreakinbelieveable. Awesome. What do you do when you find out that your album is leaked online a month before it gets released. If your in Deerhunter you go to the recording studio and make a companion cd that's just as kickass as the actual cd. The album brougth the 90's alternarock back to me that i had missed for so long. If you miss the old school lowfi kind of guitar rock of some bands like pavement please scoop up these albums. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Sorry about the quality of the videos, deerhunter are too cool to post actual videos.