Top 10 Albums of 2008
 

Use this thread to post your Top 10 Albums of 2008.

Please don't use this thread to rant about "no one makes good music anymore". Not interested.

Mine:

10. The Mars Volta - "Bedlam in Goliath"
9. Neil Diamond - "Home Before Dark"
8. The Whigs - "Mission Control"
7. Metallica - "Death Magnetic"
6. Coldplay - "Viva La Vida"
5. Black Keys - "Attack and Release"
4. Conor Oberst - "Conor Oberst"
3. The Raconteurs - "Consolers of the Lonely"
2. Secret Machines - "Secret Machines"
1. Drive-By Truckers - "Brighter Than Creation's Dark"

What, no ABBA?

1. Zs - The Hard EP
2. Meshuggah - Obzen
3. Fuck The Facts - Disgorge Mexico
4. Genghis Tron - Board Up The House
5. Gridlink - Amber Grey
6. Immortal Technique - The 3rd World
7. Intronaut - Prehistoricisms
8. Made Out Of Babies - The Ruiner
9. Russian Circles - Station
10. Tone Tank - The Black Six Sessions & The King Of Surf Guitar Rap EPs

What a terrible year for music.

And while I'm not trashing them, I can't help but to ask how anyone can tolerate The Mars Volta? "De-Loused In the Comatorium" would've been perfect if they knew how to boil down the songs a bit but their later works are just plain intolerable. I can understand that they're progressive and all but their albums play like they just got the greatest deal ever on studio time.

Man, I'm still listening to music from 2007. Why do they keep making new stuff?

In no particular order -

Adele - 19 (US Release)
Duffy - Rockferry (US Release)
Emiliana Torrini - Me and Armini
HoneyHoney - First Rodeo
Jem - Down to Earth
Lady Gaga - The Fame
Morning Musume. - Cover You

I'm still listening to Roy Orbison. Mainly because I can't get Cryin out of my fucking head.

You know I wanted to hate it but I'm digging Chinese Democracy by Axl Rose (I still wont admit it's the real G'n'R though).

I'll admit, Bedlam is my least favorite of their 4 albums, and probably wouldn't have made my top 10 had I bought more music this year. I think they peaked with Frances the Mute, and since then have veered away from song structure into wankery. Here's hoping they get back on track with their 2009 release

Wow, favorite 10 of 2008. Tough one.

10. Portishead - Third
09. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
08. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
07. Elvis Costello and the Imposters - Momofuku
06. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
05. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
04. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
03. The Black Keys - Attack and Release
02. Tricky - Knowle West Boy
01- The Black Crowes - Warpaint

That's how mine run. Make what you will of it. I'll admit, it was damn tough to narrow it down to 10.

I can't name 10 albums that came out this year that were worth a damn.

I think I've only bought one album this year - so that's going to make a top ten tough :(

I don't know if I bought 10 CD's all year or not. I find myself listening to just "the old stuff" that I'm more familiar with. I've finally reached that age where I just can't relate to most of the new stuff coming out. I did buy 3,4,5,7 and 10 on this list. Most of the others listed I've never heard of.

A few years ago, I decided to make it a quest to stay involved in the music scene. I spend one night a month now just checking anything out that seems at all interesting on Allmusic and Last.fm. A lot of it is crap I end up not liking, but some of it is just freakin awesome. Some might see that as a waste of time, but I enjoy it.

I personally like these Best of the year music threads on TFP. I tend to be 5 years behind in my music, and through these threads is how I've heard about bands like the Arctic Monkeys, and the Birthday Massacre. Aside from the Raconteurs I have not heard any of these albums. I can't wait to give them a try and decide if I like them or not.

So, please, keep posting your favorites from the year, and posts like "No good music came out this year" are not necessary or helpful. As for my favorite albums of the year (given I have done a poor job keeping up to date).

Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Flobots - Fight With Tools

There was an arabic album I found in Kuwait by a band called Nia (I believe). Thoroughly enjoyed it, but didn't want to spend the $30 they were charging for the album and haven't found it anywhere else. Unfortunately, that is as far as my 2008 music experience has been.

Hmmm.

I got some great things this year.

Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave etc
The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
Join With Us by The Feeling
Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
Live in Gdansk by David Gilmour
Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
Death Magnetic by Metallica
Keep It Simple by Van Morrison
H.A.R.R.P. by Muse
Consolers of the Lonely by the Raconteurs
London Undersound by Nitin Sawhney
A Hundred Million Suns by Snow Patrol

bonus compilation:

Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan

I just got Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket. It's totally schizo, but pretty cool

See, the album is a great idea, but I now wish I'd been recording the damn shows entirely. The album didn't include much of the patter that really makes the show neat.

I wonder if I can download those all somewhere?

Sorry, I will post my top albums from 2008:

7. What Made Milwaukee Famous - What Doesn't Kill Us
6. Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty
5. The Kooks - Konk
5. The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
4. One Day as a Lion - EP
3. Connor Oberst - Self Titled
2. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
1. Rise Against - Appeal to Reason

Hmm, I guess there were more albums that came out than I thought. I've also found out two bands that are pretty indie. I haven't bought any of their albums yet but I recommend listening to these albums. And I highly recommend the song Beware of False Prophets by Summerbirds in the Cellar.

Summerbirds in the Cellar - With The Hands Of The Hunter It All Becomes Dead
Summerbirds in the Cellar - Druids (this one hasn't been released yet)
Greycoats - Setting Fire to the Great Unknown

Is Appeal to Reason worth it? I've heard mixed reviews (haven't heard any of the songs). I've been waiting to be able to hear it before I commit to buying it. I thoroughly enjoy all their previous albums.

I really enjoy it, I still think that The Sufferer & the Witness is by far my favorite of their albums but this was a good one. The album is less 'punk' (I guess that's the word I would use to describe it) than their other albums but still enjoyable. There is some political protest in the album but I feel it's done really well. Like I said I like it enough to name it my number 1 album of the year.

Oh as an add on to my list before, I forgot that Bad Religion's new cd, the New Maps of Hell deluxe version, came out this year so I would say that is one of my top albums of the year. I know the original came out last year but the added songs and DVD material are awesome.

i operate with an amorphous notion of new at the moment---mostly because i don't separate what's newly released from what's new to me....my two favorite 2008 releases so far are:

the bug: london zoo
ragga twins: ragga twins step out

i've discovered alot of music that's new to me and that i quite like over the past months, but not much of it was released this year. well, maybe some of it was. i dunno.

what's sure is that i've lost interest in most "alt" pop music for the time being.

I'm glad someone else mentioned this. Great album!
Also, One Day As A Lion's EP sounds like something that could be worth listening to if they happen to throw a proper album together.
Genghis Tron's Board Up The House was very good too.
I also like Arsis' We Are The Nightmare.
I didn't buy much this year I guess.

I will post mine in a minute but I saw this and I had to laugh, your number 7 album, What Made Milwaukee Famous - What Doesn't Kill Us, I bought a trailer from that band about 6 months ago when they upgraded to a bigger one and they gave ma a copy of that album and it is terrific it will be on my list as well.

just heard "Evil Urges" by My Morning Jacket. It's definitely bumping The Mars Volta out of my Top 10

there is only 2 albums that I liked enough to buy:

Coldplay - Viva La Vida
good overall. some great catchy songs but nothing horrible.

The Lost Fingers - Lost in the 80s.
Great album!!!!! this is a mix of 80s classics( like tainted love and pump up the jam ) redone in a gypsy jazz style. [think: Django Reinhardt]

I haven't really broadened my horizons for music this year, but Metallica's Death Magnetic belongs on my list at the #1 spot. So my list would be like Metallica - Death Magnetic all the way down.

here's my picks:

coldplay - viva la vida
goldfrapp - seventh tree
my morning jacket - evil urges
alanis morrissette - flavors of entanglement
portishead - third
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Russian Circles - Station
Woven Hand - Ten Stones
De La Mancha - Atlas

everything else was a pretty major disappointment for me

OK people, I'm not a hip-hop head by any means. I think the majority of it is derivative shit. BUT some of it is worth listening to fellas, and I must say that I am somewhat appalled to not see Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne on anyone's list..........word? Well ok I guess, but hot damn, that was one of the most innovative albums of the past year for sure. But I digress.......I don't think I can name ten either, but I'll list my faves anyway.

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
Theory of a Deadman - Scars and Souvenirs
Kings of Leon - Only by the Night
Black Crowes - Warpaint
Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song (if you like real country music and haven't heard this guy yet, do yourself a favor)
T.I. - Paper Trail
Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch

The Carter III didn't make my list because Wayne simply isn't good at full length albums. It's got some great moments but for the most part, Wayne is a mixtape rapper and most of his rhymes and verses are of no real substance. It all sounds great but he really isn't saying anything and since many of the tracks from the Carter III were previously released in mixtapes...it really wasn't even that new.

Fabolous' verse from "Nothin' On Me" is miles ahead of everything Wayne put into that album.

Same thing goes for T.I., who is infintely more talented than Wayne in terms of word play and substance but Paper Trail is far too long and is worsened by tracks that don't seem to belong.

..

Both were great....with Lil Wayne taking a slight lead imo.

Aside from Metallica's Death Magnetic (fucking amazing album), 2008 was a down year for music. Testament released a so-so album. Arch Enemy released a great live album but those don't really count. I'm looking forward to 2009 with releases scheduled for Sepultura, Slayer, Napalm Death, and Down.

if you're going to narrow your listening to one genre, then yeah, it was a down year. I thought it was a great year for music, personally

I have to agree. I like a lot of songs by Lil Wayne, but I never feel the need to pick up an entire album by him. I just listen to it once, and buy the songs I like. And I'm mostly an album buying guy.

Not sure if it will count as the original release date was in '07, but since it re-released in '08 I'm going to say it does. The Flobots Fight With Tools album was brilliant.

I didn't realize it was originally released in '07. But I completely agree! Great album.

In no particular order, mainly because depending on the day I'll like some more than others. Everyone is making good picks though!

Flobots- Fight with Tools
Disturbed- Indestructable
Rise Against- Appeal to Reason
Kings of Leon- Only By the Night
Within Tempation- The Silent Force
Scars on Broadway- Self Titled
Eagles of Death Metal- Heart On
Matthew Good- Hospital Music
Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs

What? No love for Santogold?

I think her self-titled CD is the most original album I've heard all year.

I think I have a taste in music not yet presented. I thought it was a pretty good year for music, towards the end of the year. Here's the list:

36 Crazyfists - The Tide and It's Takers
All That Remains - Overcome
The Butterfly Effect - Final Conversation of Kings
Disturbed - Indestructible
Slipknot - All Hope is Gone
Destroy the Runner - I, Lucifer
Mudvayne - The New Game

Personally, I wasn't that impressed by King's of Leon's Only by the Night, which a couple people listed. I think their previous offerings were much better. And Metallica and Trivium made albums that at least didn't suck like their last ones, thank goodness. But those are just my opinions.

My favourite album TITLE of the year was Seasick Steve's "I started with nothing and I've still got most of it left".

Definately two worthy mentions there. I thought that the new King of Leons CD was something a little different than their previous work, sort of evolving into something better.

I'm a fan of heavy metal and hard rock but I didn't like the Mudvayne album very much. I think I just like them more live than in album form, though. The new is pretty good though. Better than their last album.

Here's my best of 2008 list: (no order)

Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Guns n' Roses - Chinese Democracy
The Cool Kids - Bake Sale
Flight of the Conchords - s/t
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
Portishead - Third
TV on the Radio - Dear Science
Vampire Weekend - s/t
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Metallica - Death Magnetic

having just discovered the Fleet Foxes, I'd have to insert them into my Top 5 somewhere.

Here we go, and in no particular order:

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes: Filled with rich harmonies and earthy acoustic guitars. Shockingly feel good, even though it's kind of got this folky-gospel throw back feel. (Highlights: White Winter Hymnal, Ragged Wood, Quiet Houses)

The Dodos - Visiter: Another folk album, a little more bluegrass. Lots of foot stomps and variations on rhythm. Super syncopated at times which I love. Steady; not really anxious to get anywhere, but in a good way. (Highlights: Walking, Winter, Park Song)

She and Him - Volume One: Zoey Deschanel. Who knew? Their spin on alt country is fucking supreme; killer jazz harmonies with this Doo Wop swing. Really charming; charming as hell. Her phrasing is beautiful. (Highlights: This Is Not A Test, Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?, I was Made For You)

TV on the Radio - Dear Science: Tears for Fears beats, a touch of The Clash, Robert Smith vocals, and a little Roots. Fuck. And somehow it's original.

Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs: Ben Gibbard has this metronome swing to his voice that is unrivaled. The crashing wave of guitars and overwhelming ambient noise. Echoing lyrics and pop hooks masked as Indie Rock. (Highlights: Long Division, Bixby Canyon Bridge, No Sunlight)

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular: A fucking revolution of electronic angst and political fervor. A trip. Beatles-esque; I'll explain why. It's got this speed up, slow down anxious flow that songs like Paperback Writer and Elenor Rigby had. The musical is just so synthetic and pure. (Highlights: Time To Pretend, Weekend Wars, The Youth)

m83 - Saturdays=Youth: A French electronic fury of synthesizers and cool melodies. Some of it is a little too heavy, but the things that shine are so bright you forget about the couple of duds. (Highlights: Kim & Jessie, Graveyard Girl)

Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping: The first time I listened to Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? I almost cried. But that album is dripping with self-evaluation; even it's sound is analytical. Skeletal, on the other hand, is completely joy driven; like he got laid and wants to tell his friends. The first melody and beat is so dissonant and radiant; it just makes you want to dance on the subway (It makes me dance on the subway). (Highlights: Nonpareil of Favor, An Eluardian Instance, St.Exquisite's Confessions, Women's Studies Victims)

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend: Has this Graceland feel, that is dripping with east coast cool; it just seeps interesting melodies and apt world beats. Tribal calls, and a fucking plethora of instruments. So good. (HL: M79, Oxford Comma, Campus, Mansard Roof)

The Virgins - The Virgins: Grimy disco rock that sounds like it crawled from a bar in the Bronx at 7 am. Driving beats and jingly guitars; liquor soaked vocals. Bored and unenthusiastic sounding lyrics; like they want to light the world on fire just to watch it burn. A little to "There Once Was A Girl" for me; a constant sexual advance and it gets a little tired. But the music is so good and catchy you just want to fucking groove. (HL: Rich Girls, Fernando Pando, Love Is Colder Then Death)

Coldplay - Viva La Vida: The first good Coldplay album! It isn't just eurotrash; admittedly so (Chris Martin says they were done making money so they thought they'd do something good). It's got this cool gothic crusade feel, like a march into hell or a stutter step before hitting the ground. Always anxious to get better, shifting focus so fast that you have to fight to hold on; refreshing because Chris Martins vocals don't sound like he is trying to be lazy for the sake of "cool". (HL: Lost!, 42, Viva La Vida, Death and All His Friends)

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank: Really surprised me because I'm usually not a fan of MM; I think it's Isaac Brock's spastic vocals that usually kill the song for me. But the pace of this album is so neat; starting with the raucous March Into The Sea [which drifts between contemplation and disorder; the strings make it], to Fire It Up [which works as this cool anthem of sorts with a really pop feel], followed by, in my opinion, the best song on the album, "Florida" [this racing song that crashes everywhere, with probably my favorite rhythm guitar of any album all year]. It's so good. I recommend it to every person I know that likes "music". (HL: Florida, March Into The Sea, Parting Of The Sensory, Steam Engenius)

So that's that. Hope you guys check these out; or a couple of them at least.

Here's my take on 2008. I usually rank a top 100, but I won't bore you with that.

10. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
09. Invincible - Shapeshifters
08. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
07. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
06. Why? - Alopecia
05. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
04. Deerhunter - Microcastle
03. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creations Dark
02. TV on the Radio - Dear Science,
01. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

I have got Chinese Democracy - Guns N Roses, so that is my whole list.

Fuck; I can't believe I forgot Stay Positive. Great album. Boys And Girls In America was much better though I think.

I think Boys and Girls In America is more consistent, but the best songs on Stay Positive are better than much of B&G In America.

I want to add one to the list. Psycroptic's album (Ob)Servant has blown me away. It is technical death metal so it isn't for everyone but very few bands play with such tightness between the guitars, bass, and drums.

that's quite possibly the worst drum sound I've ever heard. Sounds like he's hitting a pile of forks and a cardboard box

Best album to come out in 2008 (or the last 8 years in my opinion lol)

Motley Crue - Saints of Los Angeles, and I cant WAIT to see them live next weekend!!!

If you are looking for great production value in death metal you will usually be disappointed.

I just thought that one of the "signature sounds" of death metal was a powerful, bass driven rhythm section

It's more about speed and complexity. The budget for recording a death metal album is almost nothing. Cannibal Corpse (who I can't stand) sold less than 8,000 copies of their new album during it's first week.(US) and they are one of the most well known DM bands.

You don't need a budget to record a good album. There are plenty of local Calgary death metal bands that record quality work on pretty much 0 budget.
-----Added 12/2/2009 at 11 : 35 : 27-----
Saudades de Rock by Extreme was an amazing album. I will put that on my top 10, can't think of anything else I really listened to a whole lot that was released this year.

Here is my top 10 in no particular order aside from the first one. Was not a particularly great year in music in my opinion though I did like all of these albums quite a bit.

Deerhunter - Microcastle
Alaska in Winter - Holiday
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
Colleen - The Golden Morning Breaks
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - Animal!/Not Animal
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Wye Oak - If Children
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant/self-titled
Times New Viking - Rip It Off
The Daysleepers - Drowned in a Sea of Sound

2009 is already a little more promising to me with obvious top 10 picks for me already released (Animal Collective, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Andrew Bird) and the promise of new Fleet Foxes, Appleseed Cast, Grizzly Bear, Silversun Pickups, etc etc on the horizon.

T.I. - Paper Trail
Jay Z - American Gangster (It came out November '07 but I don't care)




Okay... I didn't buy any 'new' music at all last year. I'm just not a fan of anything that's been coming out. Not saying it's bad. I'm just saying it's not my bag...

Lambchop - OH

In no order:

Opeth - Watershed
No-Man - Schoolyard Ghosts
Steven Wilson - Insurgentes (released in the UK in November)
Porcupine Tree - Nil Recurring,
Porcupine Tree - We Lost the Skyline
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant - Raising Sand
The Airborne Toxic Event - Self-Titled
Melvins - Nude in Boots
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Glasvegas - Self-Titled

His new one's kinda half-boring to me. In retrospect, I find a good amount of filler on his previous albums, but it seems more pronounced here with less in the way of standout tracks to reward the wait. "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" and "Anonanimal", and maybe "Oh No" are the only ones I'd put on repeat. And jeez, why'd he have to pick that unremarkable "Fitz and the Dizzyspells" for Letterman? Just because Letterman fans intrinsically like being bored...