Well ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of the year again; time to unveil my top albums!. This was a fantastic year for music, hence my expanding this list from 20 to 25. Even with that expansion, there were still some very fine albums that did not make the cut. Such honorable mentions as Headlights Some Racing, Some Stopping, as well as Lykke Li’s Youth Novels, Snow Patrol’s A Hundred Million Suns and Glasvegas‘ self-titled debut. If I expanded this list to include EPs, Passion Pit’s Chunk of Change would easily be right up top, along with The Smashing Pumpkins American Gothic and Stars Sad Robots.
2008 also saw some disappointments for me. I had really high hopes for Mercury Rev’s Snowflake Midnight as well as Black Kids‘ Partie Traumatic and both failed to deliver in a big way.
There are some records on the horizon that I’m very exited about and I have some very high hopes for 2009. In the meantime, I present the Fuzzy Lion Top Albums of 2008.
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25. Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I-IV Best Tracks: “13 Ghosts II” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “34 Ghosts IV” / “2 Ghosts I” |
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24. Nada Surf – Lucky Best Tracks: “I Like What You Say” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “The Film Did Not Go ‘Round” / “See These Bones” |
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23. Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It Best Tracks: “Sometimes” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Sure Hope You Mean It” / “Just One Kiss” |
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22. Santogold – Santogold Best Tracks: “Lights Out” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “I’m a Lady” / “Anne” |
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21. The Broken West – Now or Heaven Best Tracks: “Perfect Games” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Auctioneer” / “Elm City” |
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20. The Dears – Missiles Best Tracks: “Disclaimer” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Dream Job” / “Crisis 1 & 2″ |
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19. Takka Takka – Migration Best Tracks: “Silence” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Change No Change” / “The Takers” |
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18. The Weepies – Hideaway Best Tracks: “Can’t Go Back Now” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Hideaway” / “Takes So Long” |
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17. Blondfire – My Someday Best Tracks: “All In My Mind” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Aluminum Stars” / “My Someday” |
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16. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer Best Tracks: “Soldier’s Grin” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “The Grey Estates” / “Call It a Ritual” |
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15. Delays – Everything’s the Rush Best Tracks: “Hooray” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Love Made Visible” / “One More Lie In” |
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14. The Hold Steady – Stay Positive Best Tracks: “Magazines” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Sequestered in Memphis” / “Lord I’m Discouraged” |
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13. The Whigs – Mission Control Best Tracks: “Like a Vibration” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Mission Control” / “Hot Bed” |
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12. The Silent Years – The Globe Best Tracks: “On Our Way Home” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Black Hole” / “The World’s Worst Birthday Gift” |
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11. The Streets – Everything Is Borrowed Best Tracks: “Everything Is Borrowed” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “The Escapist” / “Heaven For the Weather” |
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10. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Cardinology Best Tracks: “Crossed Out Name” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Cobwebs” / “Fix It” |
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9. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular Best Tracks: “Kids” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Time To Pretend” / “Electric Feel” |
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8. Coldplay – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends Best Tracks: “Strawberry Swing” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Lost!” / “Death and All His Friends” |
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7. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend Best Tracks: “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Oxford Comma” / “M-79″ |
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6. James – Hey Ma Best Tracks: “Waterfall” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “White Boy” / “Upside Down” |
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5. Augustana – Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt Best Tracks: “Sweet and Low” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Hey Now” / “I Still Ain’t Over You” |
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4. Mates of State – Re-arrange Us Best Tracks: “My Only Offer” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Get Better” / “The Re-arranger” |
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3. She & Him – Volume 1 Best Tracks: “I Was Made For You” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” / “Sweet Darlin’” |
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2. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust Best Tracks: “Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Góðan Daginn” / “Með Suð É Eyrum” |
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1. Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight Best Tracks: “Head Rolls Off” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Fast Blood” / “Floating in the Forth” |
Frightened Rabbit’s The Midnight Organ Fight wins this year’s top spot. From the very first listen of this record I was knocked off my feet. I loved their debut Sing the Greys and was really anticipating the follow-up. I expected it to be good, but was very pleasantly surprised that it was THIS good! Frightened Rabbit has easily earned a spot as one of my favorite bands of the past few years and I can’t wait to see what they come out with next.
Every album on this top 25 list is excellent and worth checking out. As usual, if you like what you hear, do whatever you can to support the artists so they can keep producing more and more material for this list year in and year out.
Fun list to read man, and very different from mine, which well, is awesome
We had 6 crossovers.
Haven’t really dug too deep into some of these but will fro sure now. We both def. agree on Frightened Rabbit (had them #4 on mine) amazing album, and one I think you exposed me to too!
Here’s to 2009 Fuzzy!
I listened to yours last night. Def a good list. Marie LOVES the Bon Iver record and ranks it very, very high, I personally just can’t get into it.
Looking forward to 2009…especially for the new Pela which should be out soon.
Ooooo, didn’t even know they had a new coming out, very nice indeed.
so i see you’ve put MGMT, therefore where is Cut Copy?
You know, Frightened Rabbit was and is good, but their music kind of felt like it should all be played during emotional moments on Grey’s Anatomy. I struck me as a little sappy. Good to see that She & Him album getting some love, though. Who knew Zooey Deschanel could be so bloody endearing? She certainly isn’t on Bones.
Well I obviously disagree with you on Frightened Rabbit, but it’s all good! I am glad you have an appreciation for She & Him. It’s such a fantastic throwback album and “endearing” is the perfect adjective for it. M. Ward’s guitar playing and her vocals are a match made in heaven.
FYI, Zooey isn’t on Bones, it’s her sister Emily in that role (who is also very hot!)
Tim,
Great list. Was very different from mine but I pulled some great stuff from it and downloaded it at lala.com. have you tried it yet? great site. you can listen to any of 6,000,000 tracks free one time and then you can hear 30 sec. clips. They’re giving away 50 free songs (all web based though). Your blog’s really grown. If you don’t mind me asking, are you making decent $$ with your banners? I downloaded the tune up app. it’s great so far. hope all’s well with you. talk to you soon.
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