This list is just my top 10 release of 2008 that I was able to check out. I would also like to call to your attention that as a college student, I am not really able to get all the albums that come out in the year. Dude, just download it like everyone else! No, I don't download albums. It's just not something I do. I'm not trying to be self-righteous or anything. I'm just saying. I like to actually own the album and have the entire package.
So, here is the list of my top 10 albums of 2008 in no particular order except for alphabetical.
Drive-By Truckers – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
I had heard the name Drive-By Truckers numerous times before, but never checked them out. To say I was missing out would be an understatement. This is the first album I purchased from their discography and it definitely brought me into their world. From the acoustic numbers such as "Two Daughters and A Beautiful Wife" to the full-blown rockers like "That Man I Shot," it is a true testament to the band's songwriting that they are able to craft an album over an hour long that is capable of maintaing its strength throughout.
The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
Although not as immediately accessible as its predecessor, Stay Positive is the band's most mature album to date. Craig Finn's characters have grown up from their days in the world of Boys and Girls In America. This is a true rock 'n' roll album, one that I feel will be remembered for years to come. Then again, The Hold Steady are unforgettable in general for their unpretentious rock 'n' roll full of substance, character, and timelessness.
The Kills – Midnight Boom
Alison "VV" Mosshart and Jamie "Hotel" Hince are quite a match and sound as if there's some sexual tension between them. This results in a record fueled by sex and rage (the latter represented best in the mammoth guitars). It has this dark undercurrent to it, and yet, it still manages to give off a positive vibe. It is so well-executed and arranged, but it's done so in such a way that it sounds effortless (e.g. out-of-tune guitars that actually work to the songs' advantage). Midnight Boom definitely took me by surprise as I had never heard a single song by the band. I spun this one in my car quite a bit during the summer.
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
What a band. You can hear Prince, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Beach Boys, Radiohead and more throughout this disc's duration. With this eclectic mix of styles you'd think there would be no direction and flow, but My Morning Jacket are able to hold it altogether. This adventurous spirit is characteristic of the band that aims to defy distinction and keeps the band in the forefront of the music world. It certainly helps when you have a voice as distinctive as one Jim James.
Phantom Planet – Raise the Dead
A few years ago, I started thinking this album would never come out. Phantom Planet's last effort was released in 2003; the excellent Phantom Planet. For a while, the band kept a blog on their website which consisted mainly of videos, sometimes documenting their adventures in the studio. What I heard there certainly whet my appetite for the new material. The band kept playing shows every now and again, but five years had to pass before they could officially release what they had been working on. Towards the tail end of 2007, they announced their signing with Fueled By Ramen. Like most people, I was shocked by this news as this seemed like the most unlikely home for the band (it's the label home to artists such as Paramore, Fall Out Boy, and Cobra Starship). I was just glad that they finally had a way to release their new album.
Raise the Dead shows Phantom Planet was able to find a middle ground between the pop sound of The Guest and the more rough rock 'n' roll sound of Phantom Planet. In my opinion, this is also one of the most overlooked albums of 2008. Did they get stigmatized for being on a label consisting of bands that predominantly sell to tweens and teens? Had too much time passed from their last effort? Hard to say for sure, but it's a shame that more people didn't check this one out. Alex Greenwald, Sam Farrar, Darren Robinson, and Jeff Conrad developed a knack for strong, intricate arrangements that manage to take the form of catchy pop songs (e.g. "Leader" or "Do the Panic"). They're on indefinite hiatus at the moment, but I'm glad this album got to see the light of day.
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
My first exposure to Q-Tip was through the proper channel: A Tribe Called Quest. However, what turned me on to checking out The Renaissance was his collaboration with The Chemical Brothers on "Galvanize" from the Bros.'s LP Push the Button. Is that a bad or lame reason? Maybe, but I can't say I care either way because I am quite glad I checked out The Renaissance.
This album is a fantastic example of that great soul and funk-infused hip-hop. This is real hip-hop. This LP is the work of a true artist. Q-Tip's rhymes are fresh, smart, spirited, and engaging. It is truly one of the greats of the year and an incredibly strong comeback for one of the greats of the genre and music world. The Renaissance didn't have to be a comeback record, but thanks to label troubles, it was. Congrats to Q-Tip on showing the industry what is was missing and what it needed. In my book, definitely an overlooked album of '08.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Real Emotional Trash
It's interesting to see where Malkmus was musically during Pavement and where he is now solo with the Jicks. Listening to this album, I was blown away. The musician in me was marveling at how one could write the music for songs such as these and still manage to come up with vocal melodies. They are epic and full of some serious riffage. It shows Malkmus's "jam" tendencies, but it never gets boring.
Paul Westerberg - 49:00
Okay, I know you're probably wondering why I included this one. Technically, it is just one long track...44:35 to be exact. However, I really feel this is an album as there are over 20 songs. Some songs are cut-off because this was Westerberg's way of reconstructing what it would be like to flip through your radio dial; catching the end of some songs, catching only the first minute or so of some songs, etc. This "album" is excellent because it is just what a rock 'n' roll and Replacements fan wants to hear: a brand new set of raw, unadultered Paul Westerberg songs. 49:00 made my list for the latter reason as well as for how awesome of a project/concept it is. If you want to get it now, you'll have to search for it online somewhere because it's no longer available. It was available at the extremely generous price tag of $0.49 over at Amazon, but it was removed due to the unapproved medley of classic songs towards the end.
What Laura Says – Thinks and Feels
I already wrote about this LP. I gave it four Ms out of five. It is so diverse and yet still an even effort. What Laura Says is well-versed in the greats of the past but they never wear the influences on their sleeves to the point of exhaustion; their identity as a band is never lost. This album sounds like...a bunch of friends got together and had the most fun they could have.
The Whigs – Mission Control
The Whigs are a band I've been looking for. A rock 'n' roll band that's got attitude - but not in a sickening dosage - and that's straightforward rock music. What is so great about this band is that they are characterized by that simplistic element of rock that allows the music to be accessible but still a joy to listen to. They can sound mammoth but also subtle, as well. They have great control, but still possess that rough-edged spirit that identifies the sound of the rock genre.
Mission Control is certainly a more polished effort compared to the band's last album, Give 'Em All A Big Fat Lip. It's full of songs that you can shout out car windows and songs that soundtrack the journey over the great expanses of open road. Songs such as "Like A Vibration" will get your foot stomping and keep you going until you feel the muscles in your leg start to ache. If "Right Hand On My Heart" isn't one of the best songs of the last five years, let alone this year, then call me crazy. The Whigs are a rock band, and Mission Control lets you know this.
Cheers, 2008.
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