My Top-Ten Favorite Albums of 2008
2008 was a fine year for music. Now that it's over, it's time for ye olde annual top-ten favorite albums list. As in the past, however, I make no claims that any of these albums are "the best." They're just my favorites.
That said, I have to say that I listened to things differently this year. I paid much more attention to albums as a whole. I think I expected more out of them. And so the top five picks were easy, much easier than in past years. The second five were not!
It's a little like last year, when my top three albums essentially could have been swapped in and out of first, second and third place on any given day and I would have been fine with it. Although that's not entirely true this year. My number one was my number one from the moment I first heard it, way back in March. Nothing else ever eclipsed it. A couple came close, though, which you'll see further down. Enjoy.
10. Mates of State--Re-Arrange Us Pop music is good for you. Mates of State is good pop music. Ergo, Mates of State is good for you. In the past, I think they could have been criticized for being a bit too sweet, too perfectly happy, but there's an edge to this album. It's more introspective, with an acknowledgment of pain and loss in relationships that gives this record a little more weight, which makes for very enjoyable listening.
Mates of State--"My Only Offer" mp3 (buy)
9. Eugene Francis Jnr.--The Golden Beatle Eugene Francis Jnr. stole my heart with "My Own Pollution" and has owned it ever since. What strikes me most about this album is that musically it never goes where I think it's going to go. It's very imaginative and full of unexpected bits and I pretty much hear something new every time I listen.
Eugene Francis Jnr.--"My Own Pollution" mp3 (buy)
8. Meursault--Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues Surprised, aren't you? But I really like this album. I admit I haven't listened to it as fully as I have some others, but let's just say it's got a lot of potential and I can see it getting me through the first few weeks and months of the new year. There's something intoxicating about anticipating what an album will be, don't you think?
Meursault--"A Few Kind Words" mp3 (buy)
7. South--You Are Here I discovered this band about six weeks ago. Seriously. I was searching for something for the contrast podcast and the song "Better Things" popped up and that was all it took. I had a visceral reaction. The best way to explain it is that I "feel" colors when I hear it. I know that sounds weird, but sometimes music brings colors to my mind, and the colors I feel from this music are lavender and periwinkle and apple green, maybe a little lemon yellow. Colors you might find in your Easter basket. Which is not to say that this is insignificant music, just that it makes me feel pleasure, like finding lots of chocolate on Easter morning.
South--"Better Things" mp3 (buy)
6. The Physics of Meaning--Snake Charmer and Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight I keep coming back to this, so I must really like it. The strength in his voice, the power of the strings and the orchestral arrangements and the flow of each song into the next makes it very hard for me to turn it off once I start listening to it. It's an unusual album, to say the least, but extremely beautiful.
The Physics of Meaning--"No More Sleeping in the Shadows" mp3 (buy)
5. Matthew Dear--Asa Breed (Black Edition) Mmmm, Matthew Dear could sing to me anytime. I adore his deep, dark bass voice. This is one of the sexiest albums I've heard all year. It's not quite dance music, not really techno, kind of on the minimalist side of electronica but when you add it all up, its beats and rhythms are really sensual.
Matthew Dear--"Good to Be Alive" mp3 (buy)
4. Brendan Canning--Something for All of Us I was surprised by how much I like this album. Not because I didn't think it would be any good, but because I loved Kevin Drew's album from the year before so much that I wasn't sure what to expect from Broken Social Scene's second in command. Well, I shouldn't have doubted Brendan Canning for a minute. He is every bit as integral to the sound that I love so much from BSS as Drew is. Maybe even more. "Churches Under the Stairs" is incredibly satisfying and pretty much encapsulates the life force and spirit that I look for from BSS. However, I picked the mellowest song from the record to share here because it devastates me, in a good way, of course.
Brendan Canning--"Take Care, Look Up" mp3 (buy)
3. Fred--Go God Go Up until I fell in love with my number 2 album, this one was firmly in second place. From start to finish this record embodies fun and energy but does so without being frivolous or insincere. The playing is incredibly tight and the lyrics are smart and witty, even when they're singing about death or longing. "Fear" just may be my favorite song of the year.
Fred--"Fear" mp3 (buy)
2. Frightened Rabbit--The Midnight Organ Fight Frightened Rabbit's sound is cohesive and urgent and when you mix in the raw emotional timbre of Scott Hutchison's vocals, it adds up to a very intense album. There's no hiding his Scottish burr and there's no disguising the pain he's in. It's pretty much a given that those things are what I am drawn to. But I realized that another thing I love about their songs is how they mix acoustic and electric guitar and also the way they'll sing snatches of instrumental music as background vocals. It gives a depth to the songwriting that as a whole adds up to much more than the individual parts. It's an absolutely brilliant album.
Frightened Rabbit--"The Modern Leper" mp3 (buy)
1. Devotchka--A Mad and Faithful Telling Now this is a band in its prime. No other record really came close for me this year. The dark romantic power of Nick Urata's vocals, the vigor and dance of Tom Hagerman's strings and accordion, the grace and energy of Jeanie Schroeder's tuba and bass plus the drums and horns of Shawn King add up to an album that is head and shoulders above most others. It's at turns wild and resplendent and then mournful and subdued, all the while pulsating with so many rhythms that you can't possibly be still while it's playing. I want to call it glorious even though that sounds over the top, but it really is.
Devotchka--"Along the Way" mp3 (buy)
Some interesting choices on this list. Some common favs and some I have yet
to hear. Nice work!
Your paragraph on South sounds like you might have something called
synesthesia. Basically what this means is that your brain mixes up two (or
in some cases, like within myself (I can feel memory in my arm), more)
senses and communicates one as the other. In your case, it sounds like you
are able to hear color. I have a similar mix up in that I am able to see
numbers as colors. This isn't anything serious or dangerous (it affects 1
in 10 people) and can actually be quite fun. I've spent a lot of my time
exploring my reactions to numbers. Maybe you could do the same?
Hey, there's a really fine Pete Himmelman song about synesthesia!
Marcy.....
We shared a couple. I totally forgot about poor Eugene. His was a great
record!
Once again, your favorites are all ones that I've ignored or missed over
the past year. Now I have to catch up. :)
That Meursault album really is something, isn't it? I'm sort of
proud/jealous of Matt for finding them and releasing the album. I think we
should start a blog label, too. What do you think?
We have a cross-over in Frightened Rabbit, and I also like that South song,
which I had not heard before. It's a cool thing that we have similar
tastes but go for completely different artists and songs!
rachel--i thought the same thing about yours! thanks.
Hi,
hi casey! happy new year to you, too. glad you enjoyed the read!
Dearest Marcy, I do indeed believe that Scott's right: you're a synesthete!
My Dearest Wife sees letters in colour when she hears them. It's very
strong, and the same letters always are the same colours. It's a lovely,
wonderful gift - celebrate it!!
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