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We’re just about ready to put the first six months of 2008 behind us and the second half of the year will soon be underway. So in looking back over the musical ground we’ve covered to this point, I want to know what have been your (5) favorite albums so far this year? I’ve included a small sampling of the albums released so far in ‘08 but really it’s not even the tip of the iceberg. So let’s hear it folks. What are the best sounds you’ve found in 2008?
Popularity: 68% [?]
Tagged as: albums, best of 2008, Music, poll
It would be great if you could write out your top albums of 2008 (for those of us that rarely see an actual cover).
Understood. I forget that so much music these days is identified by a band name and a song title. Let’s see:
Here’s what I’ve enjoyed so far:
Langhorne Slim–self titled
My Morning Jacket–Evil Urges
Born Ruffians–Red, Yellow, and Blue
Bon Iver–For Emma, Long Ago
Dexateens–Lost and Found
Not a full album but deserves mention:
Sarah White–Sweetheart EP
Single tracks:
Call Me a Doctor–The Cinnamon Band
Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt.2 by My Morning Jacket
Bag of Hammers by Thao Nguyen and Get Down Stay Down
Skinny Love by Bon Iver
Ease Back by Amos Lee
Crash Into the Sun by Jim White
Momma by Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground
Why I Hunt by Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees
Chip of a Star by Chatham County Line
Where You’re Going by Sarah White
Chatham County Line - IV
Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
Infamous Stringdusters - Self-titled
Railroad Earth - Amen Corner
Crooked Still - Still Crooked
Best stuff I’ve heard this year:
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash (Matador)
Blank Dogs - On Two Sides (F**k It Tapes)
Times New Viking - Rip It Off (Matador)
Jay Reatard’s singles on Matador (3 out of 6 so far - to be collected on CD at the end of the year)
High Places - 03/07 - 09/07 (Thrill Jockey)
Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie Down In The Light (Drag City)
Brent Cash - How Will I Know If I’m Awake (Marina)
She & Him - Vol. 1 (Merge)
Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (Drag City)
@3 That Chatham County Line album almost made my list as well. By far the best of their career. (I’m told they might be coming to town in the late summer/early fall) Keep an ear out!
@4. You’ve got a couple there that I haven’t picked up but really want to hear…namely the new Silver Jews, She & Him, and Bonnie Prince Billy. I’ll take your list as a solid recommendation.
isn’t Bonnie Prince Billy playing Gravity later in the year, or did I dream that?
you are not dreaming Brian! Two performances…an early show and a late show on Aug. 9. Gravity has some great stuff in the works in the coming months. Bill Kirchen, Asylum Street Spankers, Commander Cody Band, Eilen Jewell (who I have to highly recommend!), Graham Parker, and Southern Culture on the Skids to name a few between now and the end of the year.
@6. as an added bonus ned oldham and anomoanon open both performances
@6: oooo, really? yeah!
I’ll second Baconfat’s She&Him and Silver Jews. Hot Chip’s “made in the dark” is great, too, and I liked the Dodos “visiter” and Vampire Weekend pictured above. the best is yet to come, though. Beck’s album produced by Danger Mouse comes out in 10 days. woot!
Also, we’re already experiencing the tragedy of the loss of Satellite concerning the Silver Jews. They have solid local ties and stopped here on their first ever tour in 2006, but they’re bypassing us this time around. sad.
Haven’t bought a lot of full albums but fave songs this year so far are:
Great DJ by The Ting Tings
Good to Sea You by Pinback
Sour Cherry by The Kills
Sweetheart by Sarah White
Cape Cod, Kwassa Kwassa by Vampire Weekend
Paperweight by Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk
9 in the Afternoon by Panic at the Disco
SCOTS at Gravity???? Holy f*ck. They do know that their whole book collection is gonna be covered in fried chicken dust, right?
should be a damn helluva show!!! they may just wanna go ahead and take the books off the shelves. i’ll be there with bells on…big honkin’ cowbells and a bucket of wayside’s finest!!!
a couple unmentioned thus far:
plants & animals, parc avenue
steinski, what does it all mean? (rerelease)
and the most recent addition, in caps because i’m flush with excitement,
LEXIE MOUNTAIN BOYS, sacred vacation
@13 I want to know more rubin. I checked out Lexie Mountain. And I have to admit I don’t get it. Which is OK by me. It just sounds like something my friends and I recorded with a microphone one night when we were out of minds. (especially Longdog Energy Drink). What do you hear? What am I missing?
/take it as a natural curiosity to understand the ears of others.
#1 MGMT - “Oracular Spectacular”
#2 Plants and Animals - “Parc Avenue”
#3 Stephen Malkmus - “Real Emotional Trash”
#4 Mudcrutch - (Self-Titled)
@15. For the love of Tom Petty! Thanks for reminding me about yet another release to add to my needs list.
@15. I just picked up a copy of Malkmus and I gotta say I think it’s his best solo album to date. Freaking amazing!
Also, in general, I finally picked up a copy of Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground (self titled album from earlier this year)…two big thumbs up!
Gonna have to vote The Solution - ‘Will Not be Televised’ in there.
Oh and Brittany Murphy and Scarlett Johannsson also put out great records this year. Oh wait, I meant breasts - sorry.