Useless Entertainment

I didn't keep up with new music this year like I normally do but here are my favorite albums of the year:



25. No Age - Everything In Between

24. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

23. Rocky Votolato - True Devotion

22. Wolf Parade - Expo 86

21. Pete Yorn - Pete Yorn

20. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

19. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

18. Fake Problems - Real Ghosts Caught On Tape

17. Sleigh Bells - Treats

16. Surfer Blood - Astrocoast

15. Minus The Bear - OMNI

14. Glossary - Feral Fire

13. Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life

12. My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

11. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks

10. Spoon - Transference

9. Dr. Dog - Shame Shame

8. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

7. Beach House - Teen Dream

6. Black Keys - Brothers

5. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

4. Tokyo Police Club - Champ

3. Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

2. Bad Books - Bad Books

1. The Morning Benders - Big Echo

#30 The Thermals - Now We Can See

Another great snotty pop punk record from one of the better pop punk bands still putting out records. This record is a bit more polished and catchier than their previous efforts but all of the signature Thermals sounds are there.

#29 St Vincent - Actor

After seeing the last St Vincent record on a ton of end of year lists, I decided to give the new record a chance. I'm glad I did. It's a great indie rock record with amazing vocals and interesting song arrangements. Check out a video of my favorite track on the record:

#28 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

My friend Sean turned me on to this band. The album is made up of songs full of catchy melodies layered over distorted guitars. Something about this album just puts me in a good mood. I recommend this band to fans of The Jesus and Mary Chain.

#27 Joey Kneiser - The All-Night Bedroom Revival

Joey is the lead singer of a band called Glossary, which had an album on my list last year. This is a great album to just throw on and chill. It's mostly acoustic and Joey pours his heart into his lyrics. You can get the entire album here.

#26 Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen

Cursive just keeps churning out great albums. This album was not quite as strong as their last few releases but was still great from start to finish. The album starts off with a few amazing songs and then gets weaker as the album progresses. This release is anything but "swollen," coming in at 10 tracks total, which makes for a perfect length.

#25 Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear is all over every music blog ever created but I still don't totally understand why. When their last release blew up, I gave it a chance and just could not get into it. It was just a bit too boring for me. This album suffers from the same problem. A lot of the songs are just too soft and have minimal instrumentation, which just bores me for the most part. On the songs that I actually enjoy, the harmonies are great and the music is often catchy. The only thing that has changed for this album is that there are more songs on this release that actually keep my attention and a few that I really enjoy including the one below.

#24 The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love

The Decemberists just continue to put out solid albums. This album is essentially a rock opera. It's very well done and feels like one long song for the most part. There are several guest vocals on this album including Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond. This may not be the best album to jump into if you are not familiar with this bands back catalog; but it is a welcome addition.

#23 Malajube - Labyrinthes

I had never heard of this band before this year. Greg sent me the album and I was a little turned off at first because it's in french. I quickly got past the language barrier and began to really enjoy the album. It's very poppy and catchy. Take a listen below:

#22 Ben Harper & Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times

Another rocking bluesy record from Ben Harper. This time he has a different backing band but it's the same awesome result. I'm a huge fan of slide guitar and there is plenty of it on display here. If you don't know who he is by now then you really need to check this album out.

#21 POS - Never Better

This is the only rap album on my list this year. It has some of the best beats I've heard in a while and the rhymes are intelligent and well thought out. If you like rap then you need to check this album out.

#20 Passion Pit - Manners

This album is just straight up catchy. If it doesn't make you dance then there's something wrong with your ears.

#19 Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains

I'm glad that Sean mentioned this band. I just happened to remember their name and decided to check out the album. The album has a full sound through out and alternates between loud noise and soft beautiful melodies, which I think is what makes me love it so much. I also like the vocals which are hard to categorize.

#18 The Danger O's - Massively Intimidating Episodes

You may remember this band from my list last year. They had the #1 album of the year. They came back this year with a 6 song EP that is amazing and would be much higher if not for the fact that it's only an EP. The clever lyrics are there and the songs just keep getting catchier. Below is a video I took of them performing 2 songs off of the EP back in December:

#17 Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Here's another indie band that I just didn't understand the hype for until recently. This album is great to put on and just zone out. It can be very repetitive but is still enjoyable.

#16 Frank Turner - Poetry of the Deed

I've had one of Frank's EPs for a few years now. I loved it but always forgot to check out his newer work. I finally got around to it with this release and was blown away by how great the album is. The lyrics are written from the heart and have the punk attitude you would expect from someone that is doing more than just playing an acoustic guitar. Somehow Frank has managed to combined punk and acoustic rock music into a great record with songs full of great stories and messages about life, love, and being on the road.

#15 Metric - Fantasies

I was a little late on this band's last release but once I gave it a chance, I loved it. On Fantasies, the band picks up where they left off with the last release. Catchy songs and beautiful vocals by Emily Haines keep me coming back to this album even though it came out at the beginning of the year. If you like female vocals and songs that get stuck in your head, then this is the album for you.

#14 Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day

Some of the best alt country rock out there. The vocals are definitely an acquired taste but I suggest giving them a chance. These guys just like to be on the road and to get drunk at shows and it shows in their music. This is just a fun album that I keep coming back to.

#13 Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I had never heard of this band and was really late getting into this album. It has dominated my stereo in the last few months. Every song is catchy and full of great lyrics. I wouldn't even know these guys were from France unless someone told me.

#12 Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid

I became a huge fan of the Black Keys last year. This year, Dan Auerbach (1/2 of the Black Keys) released his first solo effort. I had no idea what to expect from this album but what I got was one of the best blues influenced albums I've heard in some time. Check out the single below:

#11 RX Bandits - Mandala

One of my new favorite bands released this gem. They have gotten rid of their horn section for the most part but the music still has that off beat ska feel. I finally had the chance to see them live this year and was not disappointed. Check out a video I took at the show:

#10 Portugal. the Man - The Satanic Satanists

This band is putting out albums at a ridiculous rate. Last year's "Censored Colors" was one of my favorites and this album is not far behind it. The lyrics and vocals are really mellow and the music is very psychedelic rock influenced. This is a great album to just throw on and relax.

#9 Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

I hated this album the first time I listened to it. It just felt like a band that was trying to cram every time signature and sound they could into each song. Once I was able to step back and just give the album a chance, I just kept getting sucked in by the arrangements and vocals of each song. This album may not be for everyone but I highly recommend giving it a chance....and then a second chance.

#8 Brand New - Daisy

Every album this band puts out is a major departure from the previous one. I'm beginning to think they chose their name because of this. The album is a bit heavier than their other releases and Jesse seems to like to scream a bit more than he used to but it seems like the natural progression for the band. Check out my video from one of their Philly shows below:

#7 The Builders and the Butchers - Salvation Is a Deep Dark Well

I really wish this band had been opening the east coast dates of Brand New's tour instead of the west coast. I have been listened to this album at least once every other day for the past few months. I don't really know how to describe the music but I'll try. The best I can come up with is that it's a mix of americana style folk and alt country rock. The vocals are similar to Jesse Lacey of Brand New in some songs but in others I can't really describe it. Check out their awesome video for their single below:

#6 Wilco (The Album)

Another great release from Wilco. It seems that they can do no wrong. The album sounds like pieces of all of their other albums were thrown into a blender. The arrangements on the record are beautiful and it sounds amazing on vinyl.

#5 Lucero - 1372 Overton Park

I think these guys have taken over as my favorite band right now. They are by far my favorite live band. Their album is a good mix of the up tempo drinking songs and the slow paced ballad style drinking songs. The addition of a horn section also greatly helped out the band's sound.

Johnny Davis from Lucero on Vimeo.

#4 Kevin Devine - My Brother's Blood

Kevin is one of the best songwriters of this decade and I wish more people were into him. This album isn't as cohesive as his last few but the songs are all amazing and the lyrics are among the best of the year. Check out his new video:

#3 Thrice - Beggars

Thrice just keeps maturing with each release. I feel like my musical tastes are maturing with them. This is a very solid album with amazing lyrics. It may not be as ambitious as their last release but it's great enough to have been stuck in my stereo since it was released.

#2 David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

I was familiar with David Bazan from his days with Pedro the Lion but I didn't think his new album would be even better than his previous work. The general theme of the album is David's struggle with and eventual loss of faith. It's rare to see someone bare so much of their soul in their songs and it makes for a very intimate album. I highly suggest checking out an acoustic version of the first track off of the album below:

#1 Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything to Nothing

This was one of my most anticipated albums of this year. I heard the band perform some songs from it at Lollapalooza 2 summers ago and was hooked. I've been listening to this album regularly all year and don't see that stopping any time soon. I think they topped their last release which I didn't think could happen. This album just flat out rocks (although it has its nice slow songs too).

There are numerous indie releases that I didn't get around to checking out and don't even know what they sound like but I keep seeing them on lists. Aside from those, here are some albums that won't be on the list because I did not get around to giving them the proper amount time and attention but liked what I heard when I did listen:

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Chuck Ragan - Gold Country
The Dead Weather - Horehound
Mew - No More Stories are Told Today…
Foreign Born - Person to Person
Clipse - Till the Casket Drops
Look Mexico - Gasp Asp EP (yes, I realize this is kind of funny since there is a post about them below this.)

I will add to the list as I think of more.

Please excuse the pun in the title but it's that time of year again. Time for me to stop being lazy and decide what albums I loved this year and maybe even this decade (no promises). I'm thinking of only doing around 20-30 albums this year so don't expect a crazy long list like last year; I just didn't listen to as much music this year. I hope to start posting this week but we'll see how things go.

-Steve

I've decided to start posting on here whenever I feel like I need to tell people about a band or movie or something else that I think is awesome. The first installment will be about the band Look Mexico. I've seen them a few times at shows around here and I absolutely love that they make it a point to stop in Delaware every summer. They sound similar to Minus the Bear but a little more melodic. Here are a few videos:



Look Mexico - You're Not Afraid Of The Dark, Are You? from Punknews.org on Vimeo




Look Mexico - You Ever Get Punched In the Face for Talking Too Much? from If You Make It on Vimeo

It has been a great year for music and the fact that I had 50 albums I loved this year should prove that. Find those albums below:

#50 Bloc Party - Intimacy

This album calls back to Silent Alarm era Bloc Party but also tries to incorporate the band’s love of electronic music. The result is an album that is better than their last effort but lacks cohesiveness. The album is a collection of mediocre/good songs and includes high points such as Halo, Trojan Horse and Ion Square which are enough to make me come back to the album for repeat listens.

#49 Chuck Ragan and Austin Lucas - Bristle Ridge

The discovery of Chuck Ragan’s solo career was one of the highlights of my year, musically. I went to one of his shows just to see Ben Nichols (Lucero) open. I decided to stick around and watch some of Chuck’s set and was blown away by Chuck, accompanied by fiddle player Jon Gaunt who also plays on this record. Between this album, his back catalogue of solo material and the hot water music discography, I have had a lot of Chuck in my life this year. He writes honest songs and his gravelly voice is one of my favorites. I’m unfamiliar with Austin Lucas’ material but this collaboration is a great folk/alt country/bluegrass album and would probably be higher on the list if I had listened to it more (this will be a theme for this list; I had a lot of albums to listen to this year).

#48 Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos - Animal

I was happy to see another release from this band (two actually) this year. They manage to craft beautiful, yet catchy indie songs using a myriad of instruments and a sincere voice. Stream the album at their myspace page.

#47 Tim Barry - Manchester

Here’s another musician of the alt-country variety that I have welcomed into my life this year. Tim was the lead singer of punk band Avail before starting his stripped down solo project which consists of songs for the working class that tell the truth and don’t sugar coat anything. Most songs could lead to a drunken sing-a-long in any working class bar. Stream the album here.

#46 Drag the River - You Can't Live This Way

Another release from my new favorite record label, Suburban Home Records (also see Tim Barry above). Drag the River play country influenced rock that could keep any party going. It’s crazy how many bands I’ve gotten into this year that are perfect bands to listen to while having some drinks with some friends, and these guys may be the best. I think that’s a pretty good endorsement considering I don’t drink. Stream the album here.

#45 Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll

Green Day’s 60’s garage rock side project. They should have just released this under the Green Day name because it rocks.

#44 Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Look Out Sea

It took me a while to get into this band. They sound a lot like if Johnny Cash sang for The Shins. If you like either, check this album out.

#43 The Felice Brothers - The Felice Brothers

I saw these guys open for Bright Eyes last year and they were everything you could ask for in an opening band. I didn’t once think “are these guys done yet?” They have a Bob Dylan/The Band like bluesy folk rock sound and their lyrics sound like they could have been written anywhere from 40 years ago to the present. They claim that their demo was recorded in a chicken coup on a farm and I think that pretty much sums up this band.

#42 The Bronx - The Bronx III

They bring the same old Bronx sound that I’ve grown to love over the past 2 albums. The album is filled with raw, straight ahead rock with vocals that are borderline singing/yelling. This is a great album if you just want to rock out. Stream the song "Six Days A Week" here.

#41 Nas - Nas

This is the best rap album of the year. Nas just has a way with words and seems to be able to come up with a rhyme for anything. The beats on the album are also really good and are a refreshing change from the garbage that gets played on MTV and the radio.

#40 Right Away, Great Captain - The Eventually Home

This is the side project of Andy Hull (singer/guitarist for Manchester Orchestra). He puts his amazing lyrical skills on display with this album of stripped down tunes. The songs consist of vulnerable vocals on top of acoustic guitars with the occasional piano. If you are familiar with Manchester Orchestra, then imagine an entire album more like the softer/slower songs on their album. If you are not familiar with Manchester Orchestra, check them out.

#39 Kay Kay and His Weather Underground - Kay Kay and His Weather Underground

I don’t really know how to describe this band. It’s a few guys from Gatsby’s American Dream and that influence is definitely apparent. This album has a ton of instruments on it and manages to mix them all really well. There are sprinkles of jazz, blues and ragtime thrown into the mix along with pop and 60’s rock. This is one of the more ambitious releases I’ve listened to this year. I can’t wait to hear more from this band.

#38 Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst

Conor sheds the Bright Eyes moniker on this release and what we get is a group of songs that are a bit looser and more straight ahead folk-rock than most Bright Eyes releases. This album also does away with any ambient noise and other things leaning toward the strange side of Bright Eyes. As you can see above, the cover is Conor passed out on a hammock, which is a perfect image to accompany this collection of songs. Stream the full album here.

#37 Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell

I recorded this band’s set for the hell of it, when they were opening for Cold War Kids last year. I found myself listening to it a lot more than I expected. After releasing a couple of promising EPs, Tokyo Police Club finally put out a full length this year. It delivers the same great indie rock but is more polished than the EPs. They dish out pop-rock with keyboards in short bursts, usually between 2 to 3 minutes.

Tokyo Police Club-In a Cave
by SaddleCreekRecords

#36 Joey Cape - Bridge

I will listen to anything that is graced with Joey Cape’s voice. There’s something about it that just sits well with me. This stripped down acoustic album is perfect for showcasing his voice and songwriting abilities. His punk routes still show through even if it is just an acoustic album. Stream the album here.

#35 Local H - Twelve Angry Months

A roller coaster ride of 12 break-up songs, this album has as many mood swings as someone who just got a divorce. Songs about splitting up record collections and hating your ex’s new love. If you just went through a rough break-up, this is the album for you.


Local H - "24 Hour Break-Up Session" on Carson Daly

#34 The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

This band came out of nowhere this year and just as I was getting into their last album, released this gem. Being from New Jersey, they obviously are influenced by Springsteen and it shows. They music sounds a lot like Springsteen if he had more of a punkier edge. This is a great album for riding around in the summer with the windows down and no destination in particular. Stream the album at their myspace page.

#33 The Matches - A Band In Hope

I had high hopes for this album. Their last album was my #1 album two years ago. This album is slightly more cohesive than the last but it just didn’t keep me hooked all year like the last one did. There are a lot of great pop punk songs on this disc. The lyrics are great as usual and the choruses are very catchy. I expect more good things on their next release.


The Matches - Yankee in a Chip Shop

#32 Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Like all of their albums before, it took me a while after the first listen to fully get into this album. I would occasionally listen to it at work on my iPod but that was it. The use of Bixby Canyon Bridge (possibly my favorite song on the album) in an episode of Friday Night Lights really made me go back to the album and give it another shot. This album is pretty much what everyone has come to expect from Death Cab; beautiful but catchy songs with heartfelt and honest lyrics. Chris Walla’s production is great (you’ll here more from him later in the list), he doesn’t do anything too crazy and just makes the recording sound clean but not overproduced. Stream the album here.

#31 Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light In the West

My favorite vocalist, Ben Nichols of Lucero, decided to put out an EP this year. I had no idea until it was released. It was a pleasant surprise. This is a great acoustic solo album, which is based on Cormac McCarthy's book "Blood Meridian, Or the Evening Redness in the West." I haven’t read the book so I can’t say how well it follows the plot. The songs are all acoustic and have a country feel to them. They make you feel like you are out in the Midwest in the middle of nowhere. Stream the title track here.

#30 Chris Walla - Field Manual

I mentioned above that Chris Walla would turn up later in the list. I was a little late getting around to this album but I’m glad I finally did. The music is what Death Cab would sound like if more electronic elements were involved and the production was a little more prevalent. I feel like this album was Chris getting some production techniques out of his system that wouldn’t fit on a Death Cab album. He has a surprisingly good voice and writes above average lyrics. Most of the songs have an electronic sounding rhythm section but Chris also steps away from the board and rocks out on songs such as The Score (my favorite on the album). Listen to the full album here.

#29 Eli "Paperboy" Reed & the True Loves - Roll With You

I saw these guys open for Robert Randolph this summer. I walked in and thought it was a band covering James Brown or some other soul song. Turns out they are a soul band, complete with a horn section and background singers. Their frontman, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, puts on a great show and it translates well to the recording. The record is full of soul songs (fast and slow). This is a great album when you are looking for something fun to listen to.

#28 Fake Problems - How Far Our Bodies Go

I'm counting this album as 2008 even though it was released originally in 2007, because it was re-released this year and I had no knowledge of it before then. These guys describe themselves as "roots-punk" and I think that's better than any description I can come up with. It's melodic punk that calls on the Replacements as a major influence. The gruff vocals seem to be something I really like lately, so it has that going for it as well. I really like the song "Born & Raised." I highly recommend you check it out along with the rest of the album here.

#27 The Gay Blades - Ghosts

This self-proclaimed “nefarious trash pop duo” came to my attention at the beginning of the year. I can’t exactly remember the circumstances but I’m glad I found them. Although they self released the album in 2007, I’m counting it as 2008 since it just recently got a proper release on a label. These guys put on a killer live show, full of energy and hilarious banter. I’ve only seen them once but I am hoping to see them again soon. I talked to them after the show and they seemed like really nice guys. Their music ranges from dance-y rock songs to slow ballads and have extremely underrated lyrics. Check out the video below for a taste of their live show.

#26 Ninja Gun - Restless Rubes

Ninja Gun is another band of the punk/southern rock/alt country variety that I fell in love with this year. They are also on my new favorite record label, Suburban Home Records. Most of the songs on the album revolve around the theme of being stuck in a place and wanting to get out and see something different. The song “Red State Blues” tells a story of someone stuck in the South and feeling like they belong anywhere but where they are. This is the perfect album for anyone that feels like they don’t belong in their current station in life, but have hope that they belong somewhere. I think I'm going to find myself coming back to this album a lot. You can stream the album here.

#25 The Supreme Genius of King Khan & the Shrines

This album is a compilation of scattered tracks and album tracks from previous releases that actual flows really well. King Khan is a blast of garage rock, soul and funk. It combines some of my favorite genres to create an amazing listening experience. Khan’s humorous lyrics such as “she’s fat, she’s ugly, she’s fat and she’s ugly, but I love her, I need her, yes I do” also help out his cause and make for the most fun you will have listening to a record this year. Stream the album at his myspace page.

#24 She & Him - Volume 1

She & Him consists of actress/singer Zooey Deschanel and musician M. Ward. I was familiar with M. Ward’s music and was a fan of Zooey Deschanel’s eyes ever since I saw Almost Famous, but I had no idea what to expect from the duo’s first album “Volume One.” I was dragging my feet on checking this album for some reason but one day I finally put it on my Ipod to listen to at work. It turned out to be a great album full of stripped down soul/folk songs. Zooey has a great voice and M. Ward does a great job on guitar and backing vocals. Check out their video below:

She and Him - New Music - More Music Videos

#23 Sleepercar - West Texas

Sleepercar is Jim Ward of Sparta/At the Drive-In’s side project. It’s being used as an outlet for songs he writes that don’t sounds like Sparta songs. This is a much more laid back sound than his previous bands. The distorted guitars and semi-screaming have been traded in for acoustic and clean sounding electric guitars along with softer yet still just as emotional vocals. This album is like a documentary of Jim’s home of West Texas. This was one of my most anticipated releases of early '08 and it did not disappoint. Check out the video for “Broken Promise” below:


Sleepercar "A Broken Promise"

#22 Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes/Sun Giant EP

I was pretty late getting into this band. They have a folk sound with beautiful, soaring vocal harmonies, reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash. This is a great album to just put on and tune out the rest of the world. The vocals also remind me of the softer My Morning Jacket songs. I feel like my parents might enjoy the folk/bluegrass feel of this album. Check out their video below:

#21 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals – Cardinology

This is the same old Ryan Adams. If you are unfamiliar with him, just pick up one of the 8000 albums he has released in the last few years. This one is just as enjoyable as the last few. I feel like he may never get back to the greatness he showed us on “Heartbreaker” but he hasn’t really released a bad album since then either. He still bounces around from folk to alt country to rock but they all feel right when he’s playing them.

#20 Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue

Jenny returns without the Watson twins but more than makes up for it with guest vocalists. She bounces back and forth between folk and indie rock on this record. There are guest vocals from Zooey Deschanel, Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and Elvis Costello to name a few. This album is a lot of fun to listen to and even inspired Elvis Costello to record his new album after going in to the studio to record the song “Carpet Baggers” for Jenny’s album.

#19 Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

These guys are Peter Gabriel inspired hipster music that was the buzz of every blog at the end of last year. Once the buzz wore off, what was left was an easily accessible hipster album that I’m still listening to almost a year later. It’s sort of a college educated rich boy’s take on the indie genre, with songs about Cape Cod and Oxford Commas.

#18 Okkervil River – The Stand Ins

I finally gave this band a chance earlier this year with their previous release. It was a pleasant surprise when I learned they released an album this year. Very good indie rock with great vocals and lyrics. The perfect follow up to last year's "Stage Names." There’s a good mix of styles on display here, such as piano ballads, acoustic folk tunes and straight ahead indie rock to name a few. The album is very textured folk pop at its best. Stream the album at the band’s myspace page.

#17 Q-Tip – The Renaissance

This album has helped solidify Q-Tip as my favorite rapper. My cousin got me into A Tribe Called Quest back when I was in high school and I’ve been a fan of Q-Tip ever since. I was sad to see his last album get shelved and then have no releases for almost a decade. I was very surprised to see a new album out this year. The beats on this album are amazing as usual and the lyrics are top notch. Q-Tip definitely put his 10 year forced hiatus to use. This man could rhyme “orange.” Stream the album here.

#16 Cold War Kids – Loyalty to Loyalty

I saw these guys almost 2 years ago and they played some new songs and I got really excited for this album. Since then I had forgotten about it. I randomly heard their first single off of the album and got excited again. They are back with the same soulful rock with slightly mumbled lyrics and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love the piano in most of the songs, which I’m sure will be awesome live. I really need to see these guys again. I somehow doubt it will be in the basement of a church this time. Stream the album here.

#15 Andrew Morgan – Andrew Morgan/EPs

I fell in love with Andrew’s last album “Misadventures in Radiology” but I got it long after it was released. I’m glad to finally be able to put one of his albums on my list. This album was multiple years and locations in the making. It was interesting to follow the progress on his blog. The album was released along with numerous EPs, so I’m counting them all as one release. The arrangements on these songs are full of strings and horns, and the vocal harmonies remind me of the Beach Boys. With songs about the first snow of the year and the autumn/winter months in Kansas, this album and some of the EPs are perfect music for frozen precipitation and shorter days. Please check out Andrew’s music at his website.

#14 Deer Tick – War Elephant

I saw these guys open for Jenny Lewis and was really impressed. I had never heard of them and they managed to hold my attention for their entire set to the point where I wanted them to keep playing at the end of their set. The songs are a country/folk/rock blend with unique vocals that may turn some people off due to their raspy, almost weathered sound. The lyrical content of this album is outstanding. One of my favorite lyrics is, "and you cried all night till you created a stream/ and it flows forever, it's made of dreams/ that didn't come true and I'm sorry but there's nothing more that I can do." There are quite a few songs about love and failed love, which are some of the best on the album. Download a few songs for free here.

#13 Thrice – Alchemy Index, Vol. 3 & 4: Air and Earth

I wrote about the first 2 volumes of this release last year. I decided to keep these as one release rather than 2 separate releases because I like them both equally and also it allowed me to slip Q-Tip into the list at the last minute. Once again, Thrice has done an amazing job conveying the elements of Air and Earth with the music and lyrics of this release. The Air disc has a spacious sound and it almost feels as though you are floating and the lyrics deal a lot with flying. The Earth disc has a very organic, stripped down sound, with the use of acoustic guitars with a lot of picking of the strings and also use of piano and sparse drumming. I’m not sure how to explain how these aspects are synonymous with Earth but it definitely works.

#12 My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

I got into these guys with their last release “Z.” I was a little late to the party but I’m glad I found them in time to enjoy their most recent release “Evil Urges.” Some people weren’t happy with Jim James singing in a falsetto on some of these songs but I think that it gives these songs a hint of vulnerability, which I like. With the exception of the song “Highly Suspicious,” this album is very similar to “Z.” This album is a great roots rock album that has some rocking songs on it along with some more chilled out songs. This band definitely still knows how to rock but they also know when to hold back and give us a beautiful song.

#11 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig Lazarus Dig

I never really new what Nick Cave’s music sounded like. I have been aware of its existence for some time but never got around to checking it out. That all changed when I saw “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” and fell in love with his score of the film. I then decided to check out his website which is wear I found the video for “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!” which can be seen below. Nick brings the rock on this album along with a funky/soul sound added to the mix. His vocals range from singing to half singing/talking. If the video below doesn’t make you want to check out the album then I don’t know what will.

#10 Dr. Dog – Fate

I have been hearing about this Philly band for a while now but never gave them a shot. I don’t know if it’s because I think their name is ridiculous or something else. I saw their set at Lollapalooza this year which brought about two great things. The first being that I finally gave them a chance and have been listening to the record constantly, and second being that I watched the set with Randy from season 4 of The Wire. Their sound is reminiscent of 60’s pop/rock with obvious inspiration from the Beatles and the Zombies. The lyrics are fantastic, which plays well with me because I always like a band with great lyrics. Listen to the album here.

#9 Glossary – The Better Angels of Our Nature

This is one of my favorite new bands that I discovered this year. Their slide guitar player played with Lucero on a few of their recent tours and then Glossary finally toured with Lucero this year. I was lucky enough to see them twice and instantly fell in love with their alt country, bluesy sound. They remind me of The Band, especially their vocals. The lyrics are top notch and I hope to hear more from this band in the future. You can download the album for free from the band’s website here. I think this was released in 2007 as a digital release and then in 2008 as a physical cd, so I'm counting it as this year.

#8 The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of Understatement

I was really excited when I heard that Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys had a side project coming out. It was not at all what I expected and managed to exceed my expectations. It’s essentially Alex Turner singing over amazing arrangements of strings, horns, drums and guitar. The arrangements are done by Miles Kane, who I am not previously familiar with. The songs have a 60’s vibe that I find myself drawn to lately. I’m also a fan of the album art which you can check out above. It blows my mind that both of the band members are 3 years younger than I am.

#7 Kings of Leon – Only By The Night

I slept on this band for way too long. I finally got into them on their last release. This album has been getting a lot of playing time from me lately and it all started with the song “Sex on Fire.” The album is similar to their last release, which was a bit cleaner and pop oriented than their first 2 releases but I think it’s just the band growing and it sounds great. I don’t know if you can still call this indie rock but if it is, they are doing it just as well as anyone else in the genre. Stream the album here.

#6 Portugal. The Man – Censored Colors

I saw these guys open for Minus the Bear and was very surprised with how good they were. I had listened to their first full length album and was not impressed. Seeing them live made me pick up their previous release which was a solid album. I decided to give this release a shot and it is a major step in the right direction for the band. They are maturing with each album and have created a great album that I see myself listening to for years. The album is a mix of 60’s pop and 60’s psychedelic rock. Check out their video below.

#5 TV on the Radio – Dear Science

These guys release solid album after solid album. This may be their best one yet. The vocals still sound a lot like Peter Gabriel but the music is distinctly their own. Dave Sitek creates such a noisy background with his guitar work and production. Then catchy melodies are layered on top of the noise. The songs are infectious and make you dance even if you don’t want to. They slow it down on a few songs, one of which is my favorite on the album (Family Tree). Stream the album on the band's myspace page.

#4 The Hold Steady – Stay Positive

I will admit that I thought this band was extremely overrated when the internet had a collective orgasm over their last release. I have since come to love them and wish I had enjoyed them sooner. They often get compared to Springsteen but I feel like they are a little more of a party band than that. This album is all about staying positive, even when you are down on your luck. Ben Nichols (see #31) contributes backing vocals to numerous songs, so that makes the album even better. Stream the album at the band's myspace page.

#3 The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely

I’m really glad these dudes decided to make another album together. I was afraid it would be one and done. They play the perfect mix of bluesy rock that I go wild for. I really like Brendan Benson’s voice and it creates a great balance with Jack White’s vocals. This album, like the last, has a good mix of rocking songs and slow ballads. They do both styles very well. They were one of the best sets I saw at Lollapalooza, see video evidence below:

#2 The Black Keys – Attack and Release

Speaking of bluesy rock and great Lollapalooza sets, this band satisfies both categories. These guys put on the best set I saw at Lollapalooza. For just two guys, they manage to make a lot of noise. The Danger Mouse production on this album is clean but not too clean considering they are playing blues influenced distorted rock. This album brings the rock and was probably the second most played album of the year in my car, with my #1 album being the most played. Stream the album here.


And without further procrastination, here is my favorite album of 2008:

#1 The Danger O's – Nineteen Ninety Four

I know what you are thinking. You've never heard of this band. I highly recommend you give them a listen. This was, without a doubt, the release I listened to the most this year. These guys obviously listened to a lot of 90's indie/college rock like the Pixies and Archers of Loaf, 90's pop/rock like the Refreshments and Toad the Wet Sprocket, and 70's punk like the Clash and the Ramones. They mix their influences well to create a great rock record that deserves to reach a much larger audience. The lyrics are top notch and contain some of my favorite chorus's of the year such as "New York City ain't no disco, We've been hanging on a dream, New York City's got nothing for you or me, All the kids are hands in pockets, All the kids are eyes on feet, New York City's got nothing for you or me," from the song "No Metro." The last two songs see the band slow things down and go in a direction I hadn’t heard from them before on their EPs or live, and it’s a great way to end the album. The band went through some line-up changes and I think they’ve come out on the other side a lot better than they were before. I can’t wait to hear what these guys have in store in the new year.






If you end up giving some of these albums a try and like them, please let me know in the comments. I enjoy the feedback and it helps motivate me to make another list next year.