I guess the first day of 2009 is as good a time as any to take a look back on the year that was 2008. I'm not going to rank my favorite albums in any particular order since I'm sure they were all my #1 at some point during the year. Without further ado, here are my favorites of 2008.
Albert Hammond, Jr. - ¿Cómo Te Llama? - Albert undeniably avoided the feared "sophomore slump" with the release of ¿Cómo Te Llama?. Whether it's the 50s-era rock of the perfectly crafted "You Won't Be Fooled By This", the Rocksteady vibe of "Borrowed Time", or the Peter Gunn-ey à la Henry Mancini bass riff of "Victory In Monterey", Albert made it clear that he and his supporting cast aren't a bunch of one trick ponies. That being said, the best moments are those that strike me as being the most, if this makes sense, uniquely Albert. Tracks like the stellar first single "GfC" or "Miss Myrtle" don't feel like they would fit anywhere but on one of his records. If I was ranking these albums by overall enjoyability or time listened to this would definitely be a contender for #1.
Man Man - Rabbit Habits - Rabbit Habits was certainly one of my most highly anticipated records of 2008. After hearing early versions of tracks like "Top Drawer" and "Harpoon Fever" during a show at the Southgate House, it felt like the wait for the record was taking forever. It was also clear, which was proven when the album came out, that the band is getting better with every release.
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park - Dare I say I think In Ear Park is better than Grizzly Bear's Yellow House? Maybe I just did... maybe. Then again, it shouldn't really matter. It's hard to do but both projects deserve the respect of being treated separately of one another. I think it's clear we're lucky any time we get something from the members of Grizzly Bear whether it's in the form of a formal album or a side project. Now that I've said all that, it's important to note that this record was going to be on this list for the sheer fact that it contains "No One Does It Like You" which is undeniably one of the greatest tracks you'll ever hear.
Dr. Dog - Fate - I love Dr. Dog. I think they're easily one of the most talented and enjoyable bands making music today. If you don't want to take my word for it though, ask bands like The Strokes, My Morning Jacket, and Wilco. They've all asked the band to join them on tour and with any luck Dr. Dog's audience will continue to grow to a point when they're the band headlining the arena gigs. Last year's Fate came out at the height of my anxiety (a week before to be exact) while preparing to take the bar exam. I can tell you that there couldn't have been a more welcome distraction when I needed a break from the grind that was studying.
The Walkmen - You & Me - Are the Walkmen ever going to take a misstep? With the release of You & Me it's clear that the Walkmen haven't lost any of the urgency that's been apparent on each of their prior releases. Whether it's a record of their own material or a rehash of an entire Harry Hilsson album, you can pretty much guarantee it's going to be as good as anything else coming out these days.
Hot Chip - Made In The Dark - I got to see Hot Chip in Los Angeles in September and even after going to San Diego's Street Scene during the same trip, this was the highlight. Whether it was the ridiculous precision with which the band reproduced their songs, the giant balloons that were bouncing around or the band allowing half the crowd to crash the stage during one of the songs, this was one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever been to. It was a direct extension of all their records with the most recent being last year's Made In The Dark. The album is a perfect combination and progression of what made Coming On Strong and The Warning such great records as well.
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer -If it hadn't been for Wolf Parade's recent show at the Southgate House I honestly may have forgotten to include this record on my list. That may be evidence of what I've heard a few other people say. That this record is extremely underrated and/or overlooked. When you consider that the band is helmed by Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug how could any record they release not be completely outstanding? This one certainly is and for that I'd like to apologize to the boys in Wolf Parade for almost forgetting!!!
Little Joy - Little Joy - I think anyone who has listened to Little Joy's debut has gotten a whole lot of joy out of the experience. If you were looking for a relaxing record to listen to you couldn't go wrong here. As I've said before, it's amazing how easy it is to play this record, chill out, and just forget about everything else going on. With the release of this self-titled debut, Fab has made it clear he's gunning for the top spot in the "most enjoyable Strokes side project" contest.
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular - It should be noted (before someone points it out) that this record was released digitally October 2, 2007 but was officially made available in stores on January 22nd, 2008. I've made an executive decision that this makes Oracular Spectacular eligible for this year's list. I certainly listened to it the entire year so why not! As far as what I could say about the record, I think it's safe to say you've heard it all before and will continue to hear about it for a long time to come.
Shugo Tokumaru - Exit - This album would have needed to be on last year's list if I was writing from Japan since Exit was released in Japan in October of 2007. Luckily for those of us in the US, Almost Gold released Exit internationally in September of this year. Shugo officially landed on my radar when I happened to catch his set at the Cake Shop during this year's CMJ Festival. After doing some research I've read some opinions that he's the Japanese Sufjan Stevens. Fair enough but maybe Sufjan's the American Shugo Tokumaru?!? Regardless of who or what you think he sounds like, I hope he visits our shores a lot more in the future because he's absolutely wonderful live.
Grant, great best of list kid.
Hope you have a great 09, can't wait to see what youve got going up here.
Posted by: jake drake | January 06, 2009 at 08:10 PM