My 10 Favorite Albums of 2008

Well if you haven't figured it out by now, I am Kelly and I am the sole contributor to this blog so what I say goes. Thus, here are my favorite albums of 2008 and nobody else's:

1. Women - Women

The self-titled debut from this young Canadian group is so damn promising and so damn exciting that it has to top my list. At Mount Zoomer is a better album on the whole, but no other album this year has brought the excitement of listening to and discovering something all new like Women's - Women did for me in 2008. When I listen to Women it is as if I have just discovered Sunset Rubdown's - Shut Up I'm Dreaming for the first time and that is quite the feeling. This album is not without flaws as it runs short and the guys love to doodle on guitar, but the promise and execution seen in this self titled debut has me extremely excited for their sophomore effort. Remember this is not a "best of list" but my favorite albums of 2008.

Favorite Songs - "Cameras", "Lawncare", "Black Rice", "Group Transport Hall", "Shaking Hand" and "Upstairs"

2. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

Wolf Parade's - Apologies To the Queen Mary (ATTQM) was a major component in my discovery and embracing of indie music. Widely praised by the media and fans alike ATTQM was epic and grand but lacked a sense of cohesiveness as Boeckner and Krug were finding their own writing styles apart from each other. At Mount Zoomer still brings separate songwriting duties between Boeckner and Krug but this album seems to have a matured and cohesive sound as a whole. The closing song "Kissing the Beehive" brings the two songwriters together in what has to be one of the best songs of 2008 and a perfect way to close such a strong album. Boeckener and Krug have not disappointed in the least and they can surely waive any sophomore slump ideas goodbye. Did I mention I met Spencer Krug this year? Jealous much?

Favorite Songs - "Soldier's Grin", "Call It A Ritual", "California Dreamer", "The Grey Estates", Animal In Your Care" and "Kissing the Beehive"

3. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

My tastes seem to lean towards the more rock oriented acts but there always seems to be room for a true songwriter to creep in to my heart. The Midnight Organ Fight is an album full of great simple and honest songwriting. Songs like "The Modern Leper" and "The Twist" will rock your socks while more subdued tunes such as, "Poke" and "Good Arms vs. Bad Arms" will tug at your heart strings. There is a little bit for everyone on this offering and this 'grower' of an album deserves a chance in every which way as it is, "the shit and I'm knee dip in it". Plus, their music was featured in some CW show so that obviously lends some type of credibility right? I hope not...

Favorite Songs - "The Modern Leper", "Good Arms vs. Bad Arms", "Backwards Walk" and "Poke"

4. M83 - Saturdays = Youth

M83 or Anthony Gonzalez is an ever changing and evolving artist that decided to try something new with Saturdays = Youth. Gonzalez is better known for electronic based music but with Saturdays = Youth we see Gonzalez attacking more traditional song structures all the while not forgetting the synths. Gonzalez has stated in interviews that Saturdays = Youth is a tribute to his teenage years which embraces the movies and music of the 80's. The album definitely has an 80's feel to it but Gonzalez does a great job of keeping a modern feel to the songs as well. "Kim and Jessie" and "Graveyard Girl" are phenomenal songs and are worth the price of the album alone.

Favorite Songs - "You Appearing", "Kim and Jessie", "Graveyard Girl" and "We Own the Sky", and "Midnight Souls Still Remain"

5. Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue

Borrowing from my earlier review of Parc Avenue, Plants and Animals' sound can best be described as mixing 70's radio, My Morning Jacket and Midlake in a blender and putting a bit of Vodka in for kicks. Parc Avenue was released early in the year but I kept coming back to the album as it has that sort of timeless feeling to the music. Parc Avenue = Cool, that's all you need to know.

Favorite Songs - "Bye Bye Bye", "Good Friend" and "New Kind of Love"

6. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

Love em' or hate em', Crystal Castles will elicit some type of response that leaves little grey area. The purported sampling of other music/sounds while not lending credit is a disaster of PR proportions, however, these alleged infringements took place in songs that were never even released. I am going to take Crystal Castles' self-titled album at face value and judge it as the product that was released. That being said Crystal Castles was one hell of a mind bending experience for me. I am not one that indulges in electronic based music regularly but this album was just so alien sounding to me that I just had to keep returning to it. Try it and I dare you to tell me you don't like it!

Favorite Songs - "Untrust Us", "Alice Practice", "Air War", "Courtship Dating", "Vanished", "Knights" and "Tell Me What to Swallow"

7. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line

After several months with Ra Ra Riot's The Rhumb Line I just love this album more and more. If I had never seen a picture of the guys and girls of Ra Ra Riot I would expect to see an image straight out of a Polo catalog with preps hanging out on some east coast beach. Once I got over that and any similarities to Vampire Weekend I began to truly appreciate this album. The songs have all the right amounts of instrumentation whether it be strings, synths or acoustic instruments. Nothing on this album is too over the top or stripped down and all the songs carry a great pop sense to them. Great stuff!

Favorite Songs - "Each Year", "Can You Tell", "Too Too Fast" and "Oh La"

8. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster and We Are Beautiful We Are Doomed

Punk attitude, pop sensibility and fun lyrics make Los Campesinos! a really enjoyable band and how can you complain about two (2) albums in a calendar year?! Los Campesinos! have a unique brand of power punk/pop that will immediately put you in a good mood when you give them a spin. In my Hold On Now Youngster review I mentioned that pop type music wears quicker than most forms of music and that does stand somewhat true with the works of Los Campesinos!, as Hold On Now Youngster received less and less plays as the year progressed. However, when the youngsters of Los Campesinos! put out any music I will be there to enjoy and listen.

Favorite Songs - "Death to Los Campesinos!", "Don't Tell Me to Do the Math(s)", "You! Me! Dancing!", "Sweet Dreams Sweet Cheeks", "Ways to Make It Through the Wall", "Miserabillia", "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed" and "You'll Need Those Fingers For Crossing"

9. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns

The Rural Alberta Advantage will receive their fair share of comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel and I am guilty of just such a comparison. Dirty, gritty but emotional songwriting will have listeners hooked from the beginning in what has to be my favorite internet success story of 2008 (Bon Iver 2007) as The RAA went from obscurity to indie darlings.

Favorite Songs: "The Ballad of the RAA", "The Deathbridge In Lethbridge", "Don't Haunt This Place", "Frank AB" and "Edmonton"

10. The Evangelicals - The Evening Descends

The Evangelicals' The Evening Descends had some good press early in the year but I guess the albums' momentum has faded for most. The album is definitely quirky but I love the playful attitude of the songs which give the album a unique flavor. "Skeleton Man" is definitely one of my favorite songs of the year and the story like "Party Crashin'" and its MGMT like thick synthesizers is unlike anything you have ever heard. The Evening Descends is a fun listen and is not deserving of being forgotten.

Favorite Songs: "Midnight Vignette", "Skeleton Man", "Party Crashin'", "How Do You Sleep" and "Paperback Suicide"

Honarable Mentions:

Blittzen Trapper - Furr
Samamidon - All Is Well
The Walkmen - You & Me
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
Stars - Sad Robots EP
Deastro - Keeper's