Damn Good Albums of '08
These are some of the albums I kept coming back to throughout the year. Really the only qualification is that they have to be a complete album - not just have a great song or two. These complete albums are on my iPod because they are just that damn good. Check them out...
The Black Angels - Directions to See a Ghost
Psychedelic rock album you can just lose yourself into.
Black Mountain - In the Future
Just a great, classic rock sound.
Tapes N Tapes - Walk It Off
Solid, not over-produced rock album with a variety of sounds.
The Old 97s - Blame It On Gravity
Pop/rock with just a smidge of country.
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
THE online video/series of the year - hilarious superhero musical. Check It Out!
The Fratellis - Here We Stand
A bit more grown up version of their brand of frat-pop.
CSS - Donkey
Danceable pop/electronica - if I danced.
Aimee Mann - @#%&*! Smilers
Folk is what country used to be - heartbreaking and personal.
The Kills - Midnight Boom
Enjoyable, dirty and fun pop/rock.
The Dandy Warhols - Earth to The Dandy Warhols
The Dandies return with some great psychedelic dance rock.
Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll
It's Green Day, but sounding like they are straight out of the 60s.
Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
"Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo" debut with some funny tunes from their HBO series.
Dr. Dog - Fate
Abbey Road-ish rock.
Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Kinda miss their old southern-rock sound, but this album is still great if you put your expectations into a drawer.
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What Yoou're Getting Yourself Into
So I like electronic music - does that offend you?
The Weepies - Hideaway
Always great folk-pop.
Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
Rugged and innocent. Reminds me of The Slits.
The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia
Who doesn't love a punk-cabaret album?
Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
Lead singer from The Dresden Dolls. You have to love the Twin Peaks reference in the title.
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
Not for everyone and not as good as "Hissing Fauna," but there are some gems.
Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster
Fun, high energy pop/rock
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Very Paul Simon's Graceland if Rhymin' Simon forgot how to write meaningful songs.
The Fireman - Electric Arguments
A really good post-Beatles Paul McCartney album.
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
A mysterious, smoky 70s sound from the Arctic Monkeys lead singer. Should do the next Bond theme.
The Knux - Remind Me in 3 Days
A hip-hop album I can actually make it through! (The Roots album is pretty good though too and Kanye's album was ok)
Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim
Yes, I'm a sucker for female folk singers.
Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off the Lavender Bridge
Whimsical, artistic folk/rock with great song titles - ex: "Devil Tricks for a Bitch."
Randy Newman - Harps and Angels
You've heard his songs a million times in a million movies. A great reflective album - the political parts are ok, but can get tiring.
Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes
Rilo Kiley doesn't want to be Rilo Kiley anymore so I'll take Land of Talk.
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
Great rock album. Saw them in concert (with Spoon and The White Rabbits) and they were great live as well.