My Top 10 Albums of the Year
Compiling this list made me realize that 2008 wasn’t exactly a stellar year for outstanding musical efforts. There were a lot of albums that I thought were really good but weren’t the kind of stuff that will stand the test of time on my I-Pod playlist or make it into my top 50 favorite albums of all time or anything. That being said, here are the ten that I felt were the cream of the crop.
10. Gojira – The Way of All Flesh
When you think of France you probably think of a greasy, sweaty guy wearing a beret, smoking like a chimney as he berates all things American. And you’d pretty much be right. One thing you definitely DON’T think of is Metal. But I’ll be damned if the French Metal band Gojira didn’t turn out one of the best metal albums of 2008. In an otherwise down year for Metal (both Opeth and Trivium delivered sub-par efforts) The Way of All Flesh was a bright spot. With its tight production, pummeling riffs and thoughtful social messages, The Way of the Flesh thrusts Gojira right near the top of the Metal heap.
9. Protest the Hero – Fortress
And speaking of metal, Protest the Hero released this technical gem of an album this year. Fortress perfectly balances its over-the-top Guitar Hero axe mastery with a heaping of goofy yet brilliant singing and tongue in cheek lyrics. The constant guitar-solo-style riffage can be taxing at first, but the album rewards further listens and reveals a surprising pop sensibility.
8. Travis – Ode to J. Smith
2007’s Boy with No Name was a huge let down, especially coming off of a four year hiatus. It was too contrived, like Travis trying too hard to make a Travis record. The band must itself have sensed this, as they quickly answered with Ode to J. Smith, a more straight-up rocker which they wrote and recorded in a shortened time period in order to try to capture a more raw sound. It worked. This is a great return to form.
7. Your Vegas – A Town and Two Cities
I bought this British band’s debut release on a whim, and it ended up being one of my favorite albums of the year. Your Vegas get sold a lot as the English version of The Killers but I’m just not seeing that comparison. I actually like them quite better – this album is filled with catchy, upbeat rock songs, and you don’t even have to put up with Brandon Flower’s pretension!
6. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
I find the whole ”weirdo” look they have going on a tad on the gimmicky, especially since the music on their outstanding debut proves they don’t need it. They’ve got an odd sound, sorta like Mick Jagger meets Beck, and the album is lush with reverb and sweeping songwriting.
5. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes just kept growing and growing on me throughout the year until I couldn’t deny its greatness any longer. They are sort of a combination of The Beach Boys and the Shins, with a folky sound that could have just as easily been recorded in the sixties as now.
4. Ours – Mercy
Ours (basically songwriter Jimmy Gnecco) continues to be overlooked by music fans despite their stellar output. Mercy, the band’s first album in 5 years, showcases Gnecco’s spine-tingling vocal range and emotion, as well as his songwriting abilities. A pity no one paid attention.
3. Coldplay – Viva La Vida
God I want to hate Coldplay. I mean I REALLY want to hate them. From the pretentious uniforms to Chris Martin’s wife Yoko Paltrow and his fruit-named children, I just want to karate chop him in the nuts. But I’ll be damned if that cat can’t write some amazing songs, and with Brian Eno at the helm, Viva La Vida breaks the mold that almost stagnated the band. Here, they sound revitalized and focused, unlike on the rambling X and Y.
2. Guns N Roses – Chinese Democracy
I don’t care if it underperformed, and I don’t care if it’s basically an Axl Rose solo album. The music does the talking, and here it screeches. All of Rose’s bombast is on display on Chinese Democracy. Some would call his penchant for overblown production (there are as many as 5 different guitarists credited on ONE TRACK!) and self-important lyrics off-putting - I call it rock n roll baby.
1. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
Hands down my favorite album of the year. Front to back Vampire Weekend is packed with catchy little jingles that stir up images of New England summers and campus romances. The songs are so simple, and yet utterly addictive. I see great things in this band’s future.
Other albums Donk enjoyed in 2008
Cynic – Traced in Air
Kaiser Chiefs – Off with their Heads
Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreak
Enslaved – Vertabrae
The Cure – 4:13 Dream
Keane – Perfect Symmetry
Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
Metallica – Death Magnetic
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
The Faint – Fasciination
Opeth – Watershed
Weezer – The Red Album
Meshuggah – ObZen
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Black Mountain – In the Future
I like your taste in music, minus the rap/pop of Lil Wayne and the new Kanye.
Bro…you gotta give love to Prong’s “Power of the Damager” and Testament’s “The Formation of Damnation”. Both albums KILLED.
I agree about GNR. I dig that album. Fuck the haters.
Haven’t heard the Prong album so I can’t comment there. As for the new Testament, I found it pretty dull overall, although the production is top notch. They haven’t put out a great album since Low.
This is the first Travis album I didn’t buy when it came out. I think I am going to download it tomorrow when I get back… I just got Fleet Foxes and haven’t soaked it in yet.
I would add… My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges and Black Keys, Attack and Release.
That Travis album was much needed this year. I think a lot of my friends overlooked it but I didn’t. It was highly enjoyable.
Like finstock, I almost didn’t buy it. Glad I did
If what Joe Satriani says is true (and I think it is) and Coldplay did actually rip off one of his songs then that will be an easy way to hate them. Its worse then when Vanilla Ice ripped off Queen/Bowie.
I will definitely check out MGMT and Vampire Weekend both of whom I’ve heard good things about.
My top 9 is as follows (in no particular order) because honestly I think this year was a shitty one for music:
The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely
Cold War Kids – Loyalty to Loyalty
We Are Scientists – Brain Thrust Mastery
Nada Surf – Lucky
One Day As A Lion – One Day As A Lion (Its an EP but its still good)
Stereolab – Chemical Chords
The Fratellis – Here we Stand
Weezer – The Red Album
Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
This year was definitely not a great one. Far be it for me to defend coldplay, but what are the chances that chris martin even knows who joe satriani is? I’m calling coincidence.
I have heard of two of those bands in the top 10.
Just curious: which two?
Coldplay and GNR. I haven’t listened to a “new” band in forever.
Man, you’re missing out brutha. There’s ALWAYS good new music coming out. I don’t know what I’d do without it
To be honest, I don’t think I bought any albums that were released int 2008. I’ve been catching up on some older ones. I just bought “Cassadaga” by Bright Eyes last week. I had always assumed they were an emo band or something, but Conor Oberst writes some damn good songs. And I don’t know if you’ve heard of the band Elbow, but I got their album “The Seldom Seen Kid” a few weeks ago and really like that.
But I like “Viva La Vida” and I’ve been meaning to check out Vampire Weekend, so now I’ll get right on that. I also like the sound of Your Vegas and Fleet Foxes, so I’ll check those out too.
Actually, I did get Ben Folds’ newest album. I liked it, but I wouldn’t call it one of the best of the year.
I was really disappointed with Bright Eyes’ latest. Check out I’m Wide Awake it’s Morning by him. It’s his best stuff.
I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning was the first Bright Eyes album I got (a couple years ago), thanks to a friend who corrected me on the emo thing. And you aren’t the first to tell me to stay away from Oberst’s newest album.
I also got to check out some of the bands you listed. I really like Vampire Weekend and Fleet Foxes.
Decent list! the vampire Weekend album is great, MGMT. You might like the Ladyhawke album, it’s a cracker too!
I’ll check em out!
I put one of these up last week on my blog.
My 10:
Oracular Spectacular – MGMT
The Bedlam in Goliath – The Mars Volta
Hold On Now, Youngster…- Los Campesinos!
HAARP – MUSE
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
Age of the Understatement – The Last Shadow Puppets
Radio Retaliation – Thievery Corporation
Acid Tongue – Jenny Lewis
Narrow Stairs – Death Cab For Cutie
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
And my honorable mentions:
At Mount Zoomer – Wolf Parade
All or Nothing – The Subways
The Stand Ins – Okkervil River
Innerpartysystem – Innerpartysystem
The Red Album – Weezer
One Day As A Lion – One Day As A Lion (*sniff* I miss “Rage”…)
Off With Their Heads – Kaiser Chiefs
Perfect Symmetry – Keane
Intimacy – Bloc Party
It would appear that we have very similar tastes!
I guess it’s great minds and all that. I forgot about Your Vegas. Picked them up because somebody said that since I like MUSE, I would like them. Not bad, but they’re no MUSE.
NOBODY is Muse. NOBODY
Not bad Donkey…
I’ll check that new Gojira album since it made your list. I thought “From Mars to Sirius” was a decent album.
MGMT – Awesome
Coldplay – Awesome
Travis – Good, but I have to take a swipe at you for ripping “The Boy with No Name” for sentimental reasons..
GNR – decent. Some good songs, not worthy of one of the best of the year, honorable mention for me.
Sorry, I’ll defend the solo Conner Oberst album, i’ve enjoyed it. Good road music.
“I’m Wide Awake it’s Morning” is one of my best albums of the decade. “Land Locked Blues” one of my favorite songs, period. Just brilliant music.
I don’t think I could add or recommend anything else, you all have covered most of it, but agree with Mr. Rove on his shout out to the new Elbow album. Won the Mercury Music prize last year here in the UK, very good album. “Grounds for Divorce” is an fantastic catchy tune.
You and I have similar music taste.
I saw Opeth a few weeks back, Cynic opened for them and it was a fucking raaaaad show.
Haven’t heard the new Gojira yet.
Hmmm. I dunno if you’d count In Rainbows from Radiohead as a 2008 album, since it was released digitally in 2007. The official North American release was 1-1-08 though. In Rainbows is great stuff. I agree with the people suggesting My Morning Jacket and the knew TMV album. Other than that, I agree, good list.