Best Albums of 2008: Part 1 (of 3)

Posted by Brian Berry on 12.15.2008

The Killers, Metallica, Bloc Party, and Coldplay are just a few of the bands to make my list of the Best Albums of 2008...and #100 comes from the most anticipated rock album of all time! Part 1 of the list sums up #100-51...

Writer's Note...
Many outlets were scoured to take hundreds of albums I heard this year down to just 100, including: music websites and online publications, commercial and non-commercial radio, social networking sites, and word of mouth recommendations. The albums that are near the top are the kind that I believe will prove influential to the progress of popular music, and the goal of this list is to give these artists the attention they deserve

I love reading and making lists. I always have. My hope is that readers will discover at least one album from this to enjoy. Don't limit yourself to what's playing on commercial radio or MTV. Some of that music is really good (and some of these artists made it on this list) but there's a whole other world out there at your fingertips especially if you own a computer or live near a record shop. Just because you've never heard it, doesn't mean it's not better than what's spun every day on the Top 40.

With that said, this list reflects the opinions of one writer and does not necessarily represent the ideas of 411 Mania's other writers, management, or its owner.

Enjoy...

-BB

Best Albums of 2008: Part 1

#100 Guns ‘N Roses-Chinese Democracy
The wait is finally over and Chinese Democracy is bloated, melodramatic, and often hard to take seriously, but most importantly is this: the new G'N'R makes for a really fun listen. Axl's larger than life, multi-million dollar project is lavishly overproduced so it doesn't have the organic impact of Appetite For Destruction but everybody expected this going in, right? What we get is an album of meticulously constructed tracks split nearly in half by mid-tempo ballads and straight-up rockers, much like the Use Your Illusion albums. Along the way, Axl touches on nu-metal, post-grunge, a little punk, and some Rolling Stones inspired, White boy blues-rock. Chinese Democracy won't change the face of music as Axl may have liked, but it is successful in acting as a thorough overview of hard rock trends of the past 15 years...or, the post-Guns ‘N Roses era. So pop open your Dr. Pepper and enjoy!

#99 The Stills-Oceans Will Rise
#98 My Morning Jacket-Evil Urges
#97 Neon Neon-Stainless Style
#96 Hot Chip-Made in the Dark

#95 Flight of the Conchords-Flight of the Conchords
Jemaine and Bret's full-length debut is a cornucopia of pastiche to pop music of the past 40 years. Whether they're lampooning Marvin Gaye ("Think About It"), David Bowie ("Bowie"), French cafe music ("Foux du Fafa"), or socially conscious hip-hop ("Mutha'uckas"), the Conchords pay respect to their influences while making their audiences cry with laughter. This record goes in so many fun, unusual directions, the only gripe to make is the absence of all the other standout songs included on their 1st season of the eponymous HBO series. This is the best music of its kind since Liam Lynch's Fake Songs.


#94 Fuck Buttons-Street Horrrsing
#93 Coldplay-Viva la Vida
#92 Clinic-Do It!
#91 Throw Me the Statue-Moonbeams

#90 Bloc Party-Intimacy
Even if Intimacy isn't as strong as their critically acclaimed debut or underrated, heart on their sleeve sophomore album, Bloc Party's 3rd studio album was one of the better dance-rock albums of the year. Singer Keke Okereke continues his uncomfortably honest, dramatic lyrics on this hard hitting break-up album. There are more studio effects here; inching closer to the electronica realm of the pop music spectrum and a bit further from the post-punk they've wowed music critics with since debuting. The highlight is "One Month Off": one of the better tracks by any band this year.

#89 Lambchop-OH (Ohio)
#88 The Raconteurs-Consolers of the Lonely
#87 Kate Nash-Made of Bricks
#86 Destroyer-Trouble in Dreams

#85 Ruby Suns-Sea Lions
You've probably heard their song "Oh Mojave" in the new Windows Vista ad that's been running. Countless world music influences, unusual tribal percussion, and infectious melodies abound on Sea Lions, the New Zealander band's 2nd album. One of the better discoveries of 2008: Ruby Suns are what Brian Wilson may have made The Beach Boys after a "semester at sea."




#84 Kings of Leon-Only By the Night
#83 Tindersticks-The Hungry Saw
#82 Times New Viking-Rip It Off
#81 Ryan Adams & The Cardinals-Cardinology

#80 Dengue Fever-Venus on Earth
You won't find a better psychedelic, Los Angeles based, surf rock band, fronted by a former Cambodian pop chanteuse, than Dengue Fever. The album shifts in tone from jazzy lounge to danceable pop and even straight up garage rock but the largest strength of this band are the unconventional vocals (to anybody not familiar with ‘60s Cambodian psych-pop) of the gorgeous Chhom Nimol. Loved by critics, Far East Asians, and middle aged people inclined to wear Fez hats alike, Venus on Earth is Dengue Fever's solidest release yet.


#79 Duffy-Rockferry
#78 Spiritualized-Songs in A&E
#77 Crystal Stilts-Alight of Night
#76 The Dirtbombs-We Have You Surrounded

#75 Crystal Castles-Crystal Castles
If the hot hipster chick that used to come into class late, wreaking of cigarette smoke, boned an Atari 2600 with a mood disorder, their audio offspring would be Crystal Castles. Most of the tracks are punk influenced slices of angry digital hardcore ("Alice Practice", "Love and Caring") while a few of the tracks show a more subdued side of the duo ("Magic Spells", "No Skin"). Never has outdated computer music sounded so vibrant and fashionable. Like them or not, Crystal Castles caused a huge stir this year becoming one of the most polarizing bands to emerge from the underground.


#74 The Gutter Twins-Saturnalia
#73 Supergrass-Diamond Hoo Ha
#72 The Killers-Day & Age
#71 Lykke Li-Youth Novel

#70 Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks-Real Emotional Trash
The former frontman of Pavement, and unofficial king of indie rock, steps farther away from the angular, fractured rock of his former group on this rare achievement: an enjoyable, modern jam band record. The Jicks play marathon long, guitar obsessed nuggets of early 70's influenced psychedelic rock, matched with Malkmus' always quirky, idiosyncratic lyrics. Real Emotional Trash is for the too-proud-to-admit-I-kind-of-like-The Grateful Dead-fan in all of us.


#69 Eagles of Death Metal-Heart On
#68 Darker My Love-2
#67 Beck-Modern Guilt
#66 Gnarls Barkley-The Odd Couple

#65 Ladytron-Velocifero
Velocifero is industrial dance-pop at its finest. This album sounds like it could be the soundtrack to an early era anime film with bass-driven, simple melodies and the always sexy vocals courtesy of Helen and Mira. Works interchangeably at indie night, goth night, or pop night at your local DJ spot.




#64 The Duke Spirit-Neptune
#63 Sigur Ros-Sigur Ros-Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
#62 Islands-Arm's Way
#61 Nine Inch Nails-The Slip

#60 Abe Vigoda-Skeleton
Abe Vigoda are kind of a poor man's Vampire Weekend, raised on The Slits and with Animal Collective in heavy rotation rather than Paul Simon and David Byrne. Skeleton is an exciting record of Caribbean influenced art-punk.





#59 Ladyhawk-Shots
#58 Fucked Up-The Chemistry of Common Life
#57 Deerhoof-Offend Maggie
#56 Metallica-Death Magnetic


#55 Kaiser Chiefs-Off With Their Heads
With an ultra clean, bass driven sound on their 3rd album-thanks to superstar producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen)- the Kaiser Chiefs have delivered their most cleverly written, thoroughly entertaining homage to The Kinks inspired Brit-pop since Blur's 13. This is a cheeky little record with highlights including the ‘70s power-pop flavored anthem "Never Miss a Beat" and a fun spin on a Robert Palmer classic called "Addicted To Drugs".



#54 Okkervil River-The Stand Ins
#53 Black Mountain-In the Future
#52 David Byrne & Brian Eno-Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

#51 Bonnie ‘Prince' Billy-Lie Down In the Light
If you're one of those people who uses blanket statements like "country music sucks…except for Johnny Cash and older stuff" then I'd suggest you dig a little deeper (i.e. there's more than "Young Country" radio and CMT out there) and check out Bonnie ‘Prince' Billy's latest. Lie Down in the Light is laid back, down home, literate country at its finest.




Bonus List#1: 10 Albums I Didn't Get To Hear (By My Deadline) That Trustworthy People Recommended
Black Keys-Attack & Release
Blitzen Trapper-Furr
DJ/rupture-Uproot
Dungen-4
Jenny Lewis-Acid Tongue
Los Campesinos-We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Opeth-Watershed
The Roots-Rising Down
Scarface-Emeritus
Lucinda Williams-Little Honey

Bonus List #2: Top 10 Albums I Heard AFTER My Deadline Last Year That Would've Been On The 2007 List
Babyshambles-Shotter's Nation
Big Business-Here Come the Waterworks
Black Lips-Good Bad Not Evil
Blitzen Trapper-Wild Mountain Nation
Caribou-Andorra
Deerhunter-Cryptograms
HEALTH-HEALTH
Justice-(Cross)
Manchester Orchestra-I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child
Kanye West-Graduation


That's it for Part 1 of my picks for TOP 100 ALBUMS OF 2008. Check 411 Mania tomorrow for Part 2!