Top 10 Albums of 2008

2008 wasn’t really the best year for music.  It had some good albums, but not many of which I think will go down in my book as some of my favorites ever.  I tend to listen to hours upon hours of music everyday, and I left 2008 with a tad bit of disappointment.  With this list, I am veering away from my usual, where I look at it from a critiquing point of view, not from my own personal choice.  Here is my personal choice of the Top 10 Albums of 2008:

 

#10 – MURS – MURS For President

This album was good, but not nearly as good as it should have been.  MURS is a true underground hip-hop artist who flows well and is actually articulate.  His songs are passionate, not about how much  money he has or how many women he sleeps with.  He’s not about the bling, he’s about the knowledge, but sometimes when you have lyrics like “sometime’s a man’s just gotta be a man,” it makes me think twice about your lyrical capabilities.  

 

 

#9 – The Cool Kids – The Bake Sale

I learned about The Cool Kids at the end of 2008, but this album definitely makes my list.  It’s old school, rhyme-to-the-beat hip hop that gives you that nostalgic feeling you got when you first heard RUN-DMC when you were young.  They have simple beats, catchy hooks, and their lyrics are hip and trendy making you realize that yes, they really are the coolest kids.

 

 

#8 – Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer

I won’t lie to you.  Amanda Palmer is one of my heroes.  I am very easily able to admit that I am one of her many cult-following worshippers who will buy anything she comes out with.  This album was no exception.  Produced by Ben Folds and recorded in my home town of Nashville, this album had its few and far between notions of imperfection; however, not only did it sound astounding, but if you’re a fan, you can never get enough of her songwriting.

 

 

 

#7 – N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds

N.E.R.D. is the hip -hop act that snobby, uppity music lovers have in a secret playlist in their iTunes library.  ”Hip-hop? No! Never! Such trash!” Bullshit.  This is hip-hop when done by classically trained jazz musicians.  If you don’t like this group you’re being stubborn and are probably a douche-bag that thinks Bono is a musical deity. 

 

 

 

#6 – Kanye West – 808′s & Heartbreak

I already have a post about this album and how much I personally loved it.  Yes, the beats can kinda sound the same in many of the songs, but this album was such a personal accomplishment for Kanye that it’s easily overlooked.  He is the embodiment of a universally big ego, but for some reason I love that he is so neurotic and cocky.  It has become less of me actually taking it seriously and much more of me finding it humorous.   This album definitely makes the list because of such a bold move he took to make it.

 

 

#5 – mc chris – mc chris is dead

Ok, so I know I have way too much hip hop on this list.  This is the last one I promise.  But seriously, mc chris is the fucking jam.  All other hip hop artists rapping about technology and star wars will fade into oblivion, leaving mc chris the champion of this small cult of a genre.  Nerds rejoice! mc chris is here to save your musical desires with quite possibly his best album to date!

 

 

 

 

#4 – The Raconteurs – Consolers Of The Lonely

If this list was based more about music critique and not my personal choice, then this album would definitely be at the number one spot.  This album was nearly perfect.  Every song was phenomenal, and I’m not even a big Jack White fan.  If you don’t like Jack White, do not fret.  The majority of this album is sung by his counterpart, Brendan Benson.  I didn’t think that their first album was that great, but I really didn’t think that they would be able to better.  Luckily, and surprisingly, they blew past their first album and produced what will more than likely go down as their greatest work.  Even if you don’t like The White Stripes, you need to listen to this album.  It’s just that good.

 

 

 

#3 – Ben Folds – Way To Normal

Ben Folds was never someone that I really got into.  When I first heard about him having a new album, I was interested, but not nearly as excited as many of my friends.  That is, until I heard it.  What was best about this album, was not even the album.  Ben and his two band mates leaked phony versions of some of the songs online weeks before the release date to throw people off.  The thing was, the phony songs were almost better than the ones meant for the album!  If you were to take advice from me on this album, grab the leaked songs as well as the album.  Every song is amazing.

 

 

 

 

#2 – Lydia – Illuminate

I can’t express how much I love this album.  This album is absolutely phenomenal.  I don’t know if it’s the actual album being this good, or if it’s my surprise of it not being terrible.  Before this album, I was not a fan of this band.  Though I have a friend in the band, I kinda felt they were a mediocre rip-off of Bright Eyes, which I heavily disliked in the first place.  This album came out of nowhere and blew my fucking mind.  I saw them in L.A. just to see my friend again, but left with my mouth on the floor.  This band has a lot ahead of them and I am very interested to hear what their next effort will sound like.

 

 

#1 – Foxy Shazam – Introducing…

This is by far my favorite album of the year.  It was a tough decision between this and Lydia, but this album had to take the victory.  This band is by far the most original on the scene, so much that bands like Mindless Self Indulgence have stolen their style and put it onto their albums.  But fuck that.   I first saw this band in 2004 in a tiny venue in downtown Nashville and they played in front of five people, three of which consisted of my band.  I have seen this band literally over 20 times, and I am not lying when I say that it blows me away each time.  Every show gets better, and every song gets better.  They are in the midst of writing for their new album, and I cannot wait.  If you haven’t yet, GO FUCKING LISTEN TO THIS BAND.

 

 

Honorable mention:
Nine Inch Nails – The Slip

The reason this album didn’t make the list was the recording quality.  If you want to hear how these songs are meant to be heard, go see them live.  They play nearly the whole album in their new set list and its goddamn incredible.