Top Albums of 2008, Part 1
It’s that time of year again kiddies. No, not your annual VD test (but seriously, if you’re a ho, you should be going like once a month, k? I’m looking out for you). Album reviews!
So annually, we (my friends and I) like to come up with our lists before Pitchfork (the poser-hipsters mecha) does theirs. As usual, no one really puts together a list in time, if at all. But we always try to try, which is more than I can say for you the last time you attempted anything self-helpish like going to the gym, eating healthy, quitting smoking, or no wait… those are the things that I always fail at.
Anyhow, it’s a list of 20 albums that at some point or another in 2008 made their way onto my computer, iPod, or car… and into my heart. (Awww… it’s almost like I have “real people” emotions, right?) So I’ve split the list into two parts and I’ll throw in a few other notables from this year at the end of it all, sotta the “B-List” if you will (like the kids who got picked last for sports).
Enjoy!
20. The Black Keys - Attack and Release
Cute album name. It’s like Catch and Release, but you see how they replaced Catch with Attack? So clever those hippies! I must admit, I only picked up this album recently and I’m almost sure it’s going to grow on me like a venereal disease (whao, second VD reference, don’t look now, I’m on a roll!), I’ll probably regret not sneaking it into my top 5. I suppose that’s what good albums do, they sneak up on you (similar to love, obesity and paternity tests)
19. Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
Early release in 2008. It’s good. I just want to take this quick second to mention that I did not write these reviews in order. So this is actually one of the last ones I’m writing. Have you ever had to do a write-up for a top 20 list? It’s long… and boring!
18. Constantines - Kensington Heights
Canadiana. I can’t look away, its like a car accident where the car is literally on fire and the driver is running around with their hair ablaze. So it isn’t “Tournament of Hearts”, but it still has it’s moments. The Constantines first album on “Arts & Crafts” is worthy of a spot, albeit a late one. Would you believe I’ve never seen them live? I know right? But I DO have a really cool CONS-TANT-INES 1-inch button from the show I missed, thanks to the M-Dawg. So I’m kinda respresentin’ (about as much as your mom at the “All About Sex” show).
17. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
Do you like loud noises? Do you like Canada? Do like puck rock and roll? That’s so “Fucked Up”, because so do I. Band has gotten some mad hype lately and deservedly for the most part. I just don’t understand this new thing where you have to put the word “Fuck” in your band name. I know “Fuck” is the new “God”, but even still, what are you like 8? The album fucking rocks.
16. Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
“Hey you hear that new GT album?”
“Who?”
“Girl Talk…”
“Oh, fuck them, I hate those bitches”
“You mean ‘Him‘?”
“Ya…”
15. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
I don’t get the hype surrounding this album… nail me to a cross! I like it, but maybe I just haven’t given it the time it takes to absorb both disks properly. It should be noted, I’m not a man of patience, I’m a man of leisure and convenience. I was disappointed with their live show after hearing so much about their usual live antics, I’m trying not to let that have bearing on my list since I’ve seen a good portion of these bands live this year. Maybe I just hate skinny people, or maybe I just hate Marfan Syndrome, maybe I just hate ALL syndromes!!
14. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
K-Beckers rejoice! (Like as in Quebecois… if you have to explain your own “jokes”, then they’re not funny right?) Montreal exports another solid album. Although I still want to point out that Spencer Krugg (also of Sunset Rubdown, check ‘em out) sounds exactly like Isaac Brock, and oh wait, what’s that? He signed them to Sub Pop? Big surprise. In all honesty, this album is great and should have cracked my top 10, but I’m just too lazy to re-arrange the list at this point and all decisions are final, like when you get preggers (just kidding, that’s what abortions are for - so you can make those mistakes over and over again!). Vive le Quebec.
13. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
You really should stay positive! That’s excellent advice.
12. Portishead - Third
Trip hop isn’t dead, or so the Germans would have you believe. (Normy Mac anyone?) The story about me and this album goes like so…
Marc: Hey, the new Portishead is amazing.
Me: Meh, it’s alright. Maybe I need to get all ‘James Franco from Pineapple Express‘ to get it.
The craziest part is that Pineapple Express wasn’t even out at the time this album came out! But I’m a visionary. Needless to say, this album is now in my top 20.
11. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
I just want to start out by saying that I hate Vampire Weekend and everything they stand for. Now that that’s out of the way - is this not the catchiest pop album in a while? Groovy, afro pop guitar riffs, what’s not to like about this album? I despise “Frat Rock” (and I say that in the least affectionate way), but these songs put me in a decent mood, and that says a lot. If I had to liken this album to something biological, I would say this album is like watching Kittens give birth to kittens, and then watching those kittens immediately give birth to more kittens.
