Fuzzy Thoughts

50.

The Roots Rising Down

The Roots managed to come out with an album in Rising Down that was even darker than its predecessor. That being said, Rising Down features some outstandingly poignant songs that truly reflect the dark underbelly of today’s socioeconomic culture.

“75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)”:

49.

Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It

Raphael Saadiq returned with an outstanding R&B album that was much more than a homage to old school motown. Instead, he made it into something of his own, with an album that was anchored by such as “Staying in Love” and “Love that Girl.”

“Staying in Love”:

48.

       Man Man Rabbit Habits

Man Man’s sophomore release found the band experimenting even further with their already off-the-wall sound. Fans should certainly appreciate their pushing the envelope, as well as others who hadn’t been familiar with them previously.

“Top Drawer”:

47.

Estelle Shine

Shine cemented Estelle’s status as an international star as her first US release has been incredibly well received. With songs like “Wait a Minute (Just a Touch),” “Pretty Please (Love Me),” and, most famously, “American Boy,” it’s easy to see how Americans embraced this British artist with such ease.

“American Boy” (feat. Kanye West):

46.

Beck Modern Guilt

While the pairing of Beck and Danger Mouse failed to meet most expectations, Modern Guilt still boasts a number of very good songs from Beck, who for once pushed himself a bit sonically.

“Modern Guilt”:

45.

School of Seven Bells Alpinisms

Benjamin Curtis of Secret Machines joined forces with Alejandra and Claudia Deheza (formerly of On! Air! Library!) to form a band that looks to have quite the future. Not only will it make Secret Machines fans pleased, but the complex soundscapes and gorgeous vocals should be pleasing to other audiences as well.

“Half Asleep”:

44. 

The Black Keys Attack & Release

An album originally to have been completed by Ike Turner, he unfortunately passed away before Danger Mouse was able to finish recording with him. In come The Black Keys, who were meant to be a part of the collaboration anyway, and they in turn churned out one of their most adventurous and fun releases of their career. Danger Mouse’s productions fit perfectly with the Akron, Ohio duo’s traditionally blues-influenced sound.

“Psychotic Girl”:

43.

The Kills Midnight Boom

The Kills return with a supremely gritty and consistently fun album that never lets up in intensity. The songs are concise rockers that are low on excess, and in cases like “Tape Song” and “Black Balloon,” the duo finds themselves in rare form.

“Tape Song”:

42.

Foals Antidotes

One of the many promising acts of 2008, Foals released an exceptional disc in Antidotes that appears to be only the tip of the iceberg given their talents. Foals solidified themselves as a band as well by putting on an outstanding set of shows this year, particularly at Lollapalooza in August.

“Red Socks Pugie” :

41.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into

A balls to the wall debut proved that Doest It Offend You, Yeah? is much more than a quirky name. Not only do the guys know how to have a good time both live and in the studio, they also know how to make a good serious tune as well, as evidenced on “Epic Last Song.” It may not be a work of art, but You Have No Idea… is a ton of fun.

“We Are Rockstars”:

40.

B.B. King One Kind Favor

Yet another legend returns with an absolutely fantastic release, as B.B. King’s One Kind Favor turns out to be one of the better releases of his illustrious career. Superb production by T-Bone Burnett brings out the best in King and company, as he sounds as fine as ever both vocally and on the guitar.

“Get These Blues Off Me”:

39.

Al Green Lay It Down

Al Green’s latest release is not only the best release of Green’s in a long time but a testament to not only the longevity of Green’s career but also should cement producers Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson and James Poyser as being formidable producers. Lay It Down isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a extremely well-done album that puts Green rightfully back into the spotlight

“Just for Me”:

38.

My Morning Jacket Evil Urges

My Morning Jacket went off the deep end with Evil Urges, abandoning the majority of their familiar sonic queues for something different altogether, as evidenced on the polarizing “Highly Suspicious.” That being said, when it does work, it’s really quite good, as the band went all out with their new direction.

“Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Pt. 2″:

37.

Neon Neon Stainless Style

A wondrous collaboration between Gruff Rhys and producer Boom Bip, Stainless Style is a smartly done concept album centered around the life of John DeLorean. Hopefully they decide to find another topic of interest, as the duo work quite well together.

“I Told Her On Alderaan”:

36.

Kings of Leon Only by the Night

Kings of Leon continued down their path of arena rock with Only by the Night, but unfortunately lacked the consistency they had on Because of the Times. Even so, there are numerous highlights on the album, “Crawl” and “Sex on Fire” in particular.

“Sex On Fire”:

35.

Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit A Larum

Johnny Flynn released a very impressive debut with his backing band The Sussex Wit– an effort that unfortunately has been largely overshadowed by many of the other highly anticipated debuts. Despite that, A Larum shows a lot of maturity for such a young songwriter in Flynn, and The Sussex Wit provide a wonderful backdrop for his talents.

“The Box”:

34.

Eagles of Death Metal Heart On

Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme released what has to be the best album in the Eagles of Death Metal catalogue. From the one two opening punch of “Anything ‘Cept the Truth” and the lead single “WannaBe in L.A.,” it’s clear that Eagles of Death Metal are not only back to rock, but also have a bit more substance to their already intriguing style.

“WannaBe in L.A.” :

33.

Ra Ra Riot The Rhumb Line

Ra Ra Riot has a very promising future ahead of them if The Rhumb Line is any indication. Despite losing their drummer only a year before the band was signed to a major label (let alone released The Rhumb Line), Ra Ra Riot has continued to evolve and the bittersweet nature of the album brings a certain complexity that is rarely seen in a debut release.

“Winter ’05″: 

32.

of Montreal Skeletal Lamping

Oh the things that go on in Kevin Barnes’ twisted little head. This delightfully Id-like release pushes the envelope as far as how graphic Barnes allows himself to be (which is pretty graphic), and also manages to turn every song into something of an opus as they interweave storylines as well as musical themes.

“Id Engager”:

31.

The Raveonettes Lust Lust Lust

The Raveonettes push there boundaries here, experimenting with heavy reverb and distortion to create a literal wall of sound, while they craft various tales of love and lust. The results are stunning, especially given the minimalist approach The Raveonettes have tended to take in the past with their studio work. A highly recommended release.

“Dead Sound”:

30.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! is, quite simply, another great album from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Littered with clever lyrics and engaging musicianship, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! certainly appeals to many.

“Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!”:

29.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Cardinology

Love him or hate him, you have to say that Ryan Adams has found his groove with The Cardinals. Cardinology is a celebration of that new found synergy of sorts, albeit a quiet one with the only “rocker” song being “Magick.” Instead Cardinology focuses on the little things, and because of what’s within those details Ryan Adams scores himself another success.

“Fix It”:

28.

The Rural Alberta Advantage Hometowns

How this band is still unsigned is beyond me, but Hometowns is a truly fantastic album. Their distinctively rhythmic sound is accentuated by Nils Edenloff’s distinctive vocals. I guarantee that you’ll be hearing a lot about The Rural Alberta Advantage in 2009.

“Don’t Haunt This Place”:

27.

Lil Wayne Tha Carter III

One of the most talked about albums of the year, it’s interesting to see indie rock culture embrace a guy like Lil Wayne considering his stream of conscious style of rapping. That aside, Tha Carter III was an impressive effort, despite being somewhat bogged down by its excessive length.

“Comfortable”:

26.

Randy Newman Harps & Angels

Yes, Randy Newman is relevant again as a studio artist with his ever timely release of Harps & Angels that offers the same biting critiques that people have come to expect from him. While he doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, he certainly hasn’t lost his touch at all, as the writing across the board is quite good.

“Harps and Angels”:

25.

Dr. Dog Fate

One of the more fun releases of 2008, Dr. Dog is a very hard band to dislike, particularly if you have any appreciation for psychadelic pop/rock. Fate continues on this tradition, with a few marked departures for the band as well that manage to never alienate the listener, despite being decidedly different. A well worthwhile listen.

“The Rabbit, The Bat and the Reindeer”:

24.

Wale The Mixtape About Nothing

Wale continues his hot hand with The Mixtape About Nothing. As you might’ve guessed from the title, it is a mixtape loosely based on Seinfeld, loaded with lyrics that reference the show as well as show clips. Perhaps most poignant on the album is “The Kramer,” perhaps one of the best (and bravest) attempts in a rap song to conceptualize the use of the “N” word and how it is viewed today. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the remix of Chicago Falcon by The Budos Band is phenomenal, with Wale providing some exceptional rhymes about Seinfeld. Now that we know what Wale can do on a mixtape, you can bet the world will be waiting with baited breath to see how he fares on his debut album.

“Chicago Falcon Remix” feat. The Budos Band:

23.

Sigur Rós Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Sigur Rós released yet another fantastically gorgeous album, anchored by the title track and lead single “Gobbledigook.” While it could certainly be regarded as being their most accessible album to date, Sigur Rós doesn’t give up any substance in the process.

“Gobbledigook”:

22.

Wolf Parade At Mount Zoomer

While Apologies to Queen Mary earned Wolf Parade the right to be a part of the indie scene’s inner-circle, it appears that their sophomore release At Mount Zoomer was largely overlooked. While it’s certainly difficult to outrun a shadow like their debut, At Mount Zoomer is, at times, equally brilliant– and it is always, at the very least, very good.

“Soldier’s Grin”:

21.

The Hold Steady Stay Positive

The Hold Steady continue their impressive streak of making great music on Stay Positive. Where they could’ve just stayed the course, they do attempt to push themselves sonically, as evidenced on “One for the Cutters” and “Both Crosses,” two of the darker tracks on the album. At the same time, there are songs such as “Sequestered in Memphis” and the title track that are distinctively The Hold Steady– and for them, that’s always a good thing.

“Sequestered in Memphis”:

20.

Coldplay Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

With mastermind Brian Eno in tow, Coldplay released not only the biggest album of their careers, but also arguably the best album as well. With two powerful singles in “Violet Hill” and “Viva La Vida” anchoring the disc, the band continues to wear their influences on their respective sleeves, with heavy U2 references (surprise!) as well as My Bloody Valentine and Radiohead.

“Viva La Vida”:

19.

Atmosphere When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold

Criminally underrated, When Life… is a sprawling album filled with vivid scenes of the dark side of people’s lives. No longer content in just rapping about himself, Slug really delivers powerful prose when speaking about the experience of others, and Ant follows suit with constantly riveting beats.

“Shoulda Known” :

18.

Elbow The Seldom Seen Kid

With gorgeously written songs such as “Mirrorball” and “One Day Like This,” in addition to the edgy Tom Waits styled “Grounds for Divorce,” it’s easy to see why this album won the Mercury Prize. Elbow has always been a band to fly a bit under the radar, especially here in the states, but one would hope that based on the success of The Seldom Seen Kid that’ll change very soon.

“Grounds for Divorce”:

17.

Los Campesinos! Hold On Now, Youngster

Los Campesinos! are ridiculously good, sounding like Broken Social Scene on steroids, with the quirky punk appeal of Art Brut, Hold On Now, Youngster is so exuberant it’s easy to lose focus on the equally sophisticated lyrics. A very impressive debut, Los Campesinos! is a band we’ll be talking about for quite a while.

“You! Me! Dancing!”: 

16.

Black Milk Tronic

In an impressive year for hip hop music, Tronic stands as being one of the best as MC/Producer Black Milk, quite simply, blows your mind with his talents. From beginning to end, Black Milk never lets up, with each track being as meticulously produced as the last, with lyrics to match. Hailing from the musically rich city of Detroit, Tronic cements Black Milk as being one of the torch bearers for a new generation of Detroit hip hop artists.

“Losing Out”:

15.

Death Cab for Cutie Narrow Stairs

Narrow Stairs was not only surprising in its drastic difference in direction (especially when compared to Plans), but also in that the band performs at such a consistently high level on this album, that Narrow Stairs could easily be considered one of the best releases of Death Cab’s career. While the content is relatively dark, with all songs being examples of love gone wrong, musically this is the most interesting the band has sounded in a long time.

“I Will Possess Your Heart”:

14.

Hercules and Love Affair Hercules and Love Affair

A strangely hypnotic fusion of disco/punk and modern dance/electronica music, Hercules and Love Affair represents what has become the core of DFA records (home of LCD Soundsystem among others), making incredibly eclectic disco/pop/dance records that are both totally relevant as well as stimulating for the listener.

“Blind”: 

13.

Portishead Third

Admittedly the most difficult listen of 2008, Third is a very rewarding album once you warm up to it—this is especially true for Portishead fans. While the songs evoke a similar sense of melancholy that Portishead exuded on earlier albums, the almost dystopian nature of the music is enhanced by the harsh and cold production. Truth be told, listening to Third for the first time, was a lot like the first time I heard Radiohead’s Kid A. I was put off yet haunted all at the same time, and found myself coming back for more. More than likely, you’ll have a similar reaction if you haven’t heard the album already.

“The Rip”:

12.

Fucked Up The Chemistry of Common Life

An extremely dynamic album, The Chemistry of Common Life is almost an exercise in the eclectic approaches one can take in punk music. The epic opener “Son the Father” sets the pace, and The Chemistry of Common Life never loses steam.

“Son the Father”:

11.

Shugo Tokumaru Exit

Take two parts Animal Collective, one part Sufjan Stevens and throw in some Japanese lyrics for good measure, and you’d have a head start what Exit sounds like. Even with those comparisons in mind, however, Tokumaru impresses on songs like the opening “Parachute” and “Green Rain,” as his songs manage to still have the elements of a pop song despite all the frills, and there are a ton of frills here. Each song is intricately arranged, with odd and ever-changing time signatures (not to mention Tokumaru plays most of the instruments himself), so it’s easy to appreciate the album on multiple levels.

“Parachute”:

10.

The Raconteurs Consolers of the Lonely

Consolers of the Lonely is everything that Broken Boy Soldiers should’ve been and was probably meant to be. From beginning to end the songs drip with classic rock influences, somehow resulting in a meeting point between each of the band members varied backgrounds and musical interests. Though there’s no stand out single in the spirit of “Steady as She Goes,” Consolers of the Lonely is a near-classic release.

“Salute Your Solution”:

9.

Erykah Badu New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)

A sprawling, complex amalgam of songs grace New Amerykah: Part One, an album that should go down as the finest of Erykah Badu’s career. With the single “Honey” buried in the album as a bonus track of sorts, accessibility has been thrown to the side with the focus being simply on Badu’s courageously insightful lyrics and her equally adventurous approach to music.

“Soldier”:

8.

Jamie Lidell Jim

Jim was Jamie Lidell’s coming out party. While he continues to blur the line of old school R&B and electronic music, Lidell has clearly become comfortable in his precarious state, as Jim is virtually seamless as Lidell goes from the bouncy “Another Day” to the more Multiply-esque “Figured me Out.” Another sign of growth is Lidell’s near-flawless execution of ballads on this album, especially “Green Light” and “All I Wanna Do.” Jim is by far the most fun album of 2008.

“Another Day”:

7.

Q-Tip The Renaissance

Q-Tip could’ve very well spearheaded a renaissance with this album. A much needed beacon of hope for hip-hop music, The Renaissance has a timeless feel to it, with Q-Tip providing some exquisite productions that will certainly never grow old, and an equally brilliant Dilla produced song with “Move” to top it off. As surprising as it is to say this, especially considering Q-Tip hadn’t been heard from since Kamaal the Abstract was shelved six years ago, The Renaissance is the hip-hop album of the year.

“Gettin Up”:

6.

The Walkmen You & Me

Whatever the cause for the sudden maturity for The Walkmen, it’s the best thing to ever happen to them. You & Me is a stone cold classic with incredible depth and an attention to detail that makes the album that much more effective.

“In The New Year”:

5.

Cut Copy In Ghost Colours

Cut Copy did more than enough on their debut, Bright Like Neon Love, to warrant a breeze through, stick to the formula, sophomore release. Not so fast—not only did Cut Copy up the ante, but they exceeded even the high expectations set up for them. In Ghost Colours is an amazing accomplishment for such a young band, it’ll be interesting to see where they go from here.

“So Haunted”:

4.

Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes

Unexpectedly, Fleet Foxes caught on like wildfire this year, as their simple yet elegant approach to the alt-folk scene as well as their penchant for heavenly sounding vocals, helped to gain them such attention so quickly. To hear Fleet Foxes at their very best, just take a listen to “White Winter Hymnal” and you’ll begin to understand how such a seemingly timid band from Seattle can cause such a stir.

“White Winter Hymnal”:

3.

Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago

While this album was technically released independently by Justin Vernon himself in 2007, it wasn’t until earlier this year that it was finally completely accessible to the public through the Jagjaguwar label. For Emma, Forever Ago is the product of Vernon isolating himself from the world by spending three months alone in a Wisconsin cabin, and you feel that sense of loss and subtle beauty with every note on the album. While the album is definitely on the darker side, the vocals and sparse arrangements are so gorgeous that if anything, it’s the music that’s moving you to tears, not necessarily the lyrics.

“Skinny Love”:

2.

TV on the Radio Dear Science

TV on the Radio is a band that is constantly changing from one album to the next, and Dear Science is no exception. With it’s heavily Bowie influenced semi-glam/dance sound, TVotR sound surprisingly upbeat, giving fans the rare opportunity to actually dance to their music. Furthermore, Dear Science will also likely be known as the most accessible of the TV on the Radio albums, which in this case isn’t a bad thing. The structure remains the same, with the dense lyrics also remaining in tact—this time they’re just dressed up a bit differently. Suffice it to say, the new packaging works really, really well.

“Dancing Choose”:

1.

Deerhunter Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.

Compared to the noisy, long-winded debut of Cryptograms, Microcastle feels like a revelation. A much more concise release with hints of neo-psychadelia in addition to their shoegaze sound, Microcastle is very much refreshing. A perfect album from beginning to end, Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. is rightfully the #1 album to be released in 2008.

“Never Stops”: