THE BEST of 2008 LIST!

Before I begin, let me give a disclaimer that I really am not some hipster music junkie. The music that I listen to is mostly mainstream, and I’m not afraid to admit it. I’m not going to be listening to the most random obscurities from artists I've heard about on my favorite Of Montreal forum. I hear about new artists from magazines and the internet, so if you think my list is too mainstream well you can eat a pickle. So with that out of the way, I am excited to present my second annual “Best Of” list. This year I listened to more albums so I made it a top 20 rather than 10. Just to give you perspective, I listened to 40+ albums released in this year and these are my prime cuts and stale picks…so let us begin with my new category…


SHAME ON YOU!
This is those albums that could’ve been great, really, but ended up not delivering entirely.

Girl Talk-Feed The Animals: It’s not that I hate Girl Talk, I just hate that he doesn’t make more fluid tracks. The album plays like one schizophrenic mans 45 minute endeavour changing radio stations. I don’t like that.
Weezer-Weezer (The Red Album): Talk about a stacked deck…the first three tracks on this album are incredible. The rest…not so much. Rivers dropped the ball big time with this. It’s not awful by any means, it just had too much hype on it and didn’t deliver.
Gym Class Heroes-The Quilt: I have a detailed review down below, so I won’t say much aside from this band has so much potential and they completely wasted it trying to make a radio friendly album.
Kanye West-808’s and Heartbreak: Wow Kanye. The vocoder was T-Pain’s thing, then Weezy’s thing, and now it’s yours? Whoa buddy. I wouldn’t mind a song or two using the same drum machine and vocal distortion, but an entire album? “Heartless” is the only decent song.

Now onto the honorable mentions…

Del tha Funkee Homosapien-11th Hour: I like this album but it is mediocre. Del is a hip hop icon and most people just recognize him as that cartoon ghost from “Clint Eastwood”. I enjoy the album and a few tracks are damn good, the rest feels like he just kind of threw it together.
Metallica-Death Magnetic: Some call it a return to form for the boys, and I agree that it feels a lot better than St. Anger, but my biggest problem with Metallica is their epic song structures that would work so much better if they were just trimmed on the edges, and this album goes back to that. The album rocks hard, but not hard enough to make its way onto the list.
MGMT-Oracular Spectacular: Another good album that just didn’t stick. “Electric Feel” and “Time To Pretend” are great tracks, but “Kids” kind of got tired to me after the 12th time.
Flight of the Conchords-Flight of the Conchords: I feel like this relies on the show for a lot of its laughs. I do enjoy the music, but a lot of times I’m laughing because I’m associating the song with its music video from the show. A great listen, I just think people who aren’t fans of the show won’t understand the reasoning for it.

Okay now onto the list…


20. The Ting Tings-We Started Nothing
An incredibly infectious album. It’s simple and it’s catchy and all it makes you want to do is dance. And that is why it is on this list. I won’t say anymore because it’s self explanatory.
Notable tracks: “Shut Up and Let Me Go” “That’s Not My Name” “Fruit Machine”
19. NaS-Untitled
NaS is easily one of the greatest rappers of all time. This album has a handful of gems, and the way it starts off with the simple but effective track “Queens Get The Money” had me ready for an awe inspiring ride through NaS’s beliefs on racism and the evolution of the African American race. However, I feel like the album kind of fell into a slump of just saying how America is a white racist country. That’s not good. There are a few good collaborations though, and this album more than definitely warrants a play, if only to hear what the controversy is about.
Notable tracks: “Queens Get the Money” “Fried Chicken” “N.I.*.*.E.R.”
18. Guns n’ Roses-Chinese Democracy
It came out! Now the world can end. But in all seriousness, if there is one thing this album does is throw a lot at the audience. It’s intricate and it says something about Axl Rose. While track for track analysis would put a lot of other albums above this as far as quality is concerned, the first time I listened to this album I just went “Whoa. It’s here and it’s awesome.” If you don’t expect another Appetite for Destruction, you won’t be disappointed.
Notable tracks: “I.R.S.” “Riad in Bedouins” “Chinese Democracy”
17. Estelle-Shine
That “American Boy” song is such a good pop hit, and the rest of the album follows suit. It’s a fun, danceable record with a whole lot of replay potential. There are some great guest spots from Kanye West (obviously), John Legend and Cee-Lo. Estelle’s great voice really does Shine.
Notable tracks: “American Boy” “In The Rain” “Pretty Please (Love Me)”
16. Common-Universal Mind Control
It got panned by critics but I think Common has a very different vibe throughout this whole album. His close to 40 year old hormones are runnin’ wild and Pharrell and Chad Hugo seem to find a way to make them translate into good music. Maybe it’s not Be or Like Water for Chocolate, but if you did the research, Common clearly wanted this to be a party record and that’s what it is. It’d be like if Maya Angelou wrote a corny rhyming poem about how much fun she had playing bridge with her friends. People would say “Oh it’s bad because she’s done so much better” and then others would say “It’s a good poem for what it is.” Universal Mind Control is good for what it is.
Notable tracks: “Announcement” “Gladiator” “Universal Mind Control”
15. Lil Wayne-Tha Carter III
One million copies in one week says a whole lot. I feel like a lot of people are very harsh on Weezy, but to put it simply, “real” hip-hop fans think he sucks because he’s on the radio collaborating with whoever wants him to show up, “fake” hip-hop fans love him because he has a strange voice and raps weird. I believe that I fall somewhere in the middle, not in my level of hip-hop fandom, but in my level of liking Wayne. He claims to be among the Pac’s and the Biggie’s on “Mr. Carter” and I think that’s a long shot at this point, but he’s definitely not in the same league as all of these trash rappers you hear on the radio. And just as he goes out and does guest spots for other guys, they reciprocate on this, giving it a family vibe that a lot of hip-hop doesn’t have. While Common and NaS are known for their better works, Weezy has only to grow into himself as an artist even more, and the prospect of that excites me.
Notable tracks: “3Peat” “Mr. Carter” “Got Money”
14. The Mars Volta-The Bedlam in Goliath
My biggest problem with Volta on previous albums was that they have WAY too much filler. There are tracks that go for like 4-7 minutes of just Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala probably getting coffee and leaving their amps and microphones recording. With this they definitely tone that down in favor or a lot harder and more to-the-point rock. I’m not saying Volta went and turned into AC/DC, but I feel like they definitely made an album that your average person who maybe isn’t all that into obscure sounds would enjoy. I bump this album in my Subaru Outback, not gonna lie.
Notable tracks: “Metatron” “Wax Simulacra” “Goliath”
13. TIE: RZA as Bobby Digital-Digi Snacks/GZA-Pro Tools
I lump these two together for one obvious reason and that is their Wu-Tang affiliation. While both albums are good hip-hop albums, neither really jumped off the speakers and made me go “Whoa” like any of their older stuff does. And the Bobby Digital albums generally don’t hold my attention at all. RZA employs some guest producers, which in my opinion is a waste of his talent, and GZA rarely uses the RZA to produce, which is a shame. I feel as if I haven’t given either of these albums a chance, so I may have to amend this list at some point, but for now, they are fine where they are. And Digi Snacks is by far my favorite album cover of the year.
Notable tracks: “Digi Snacks Intro” “You Can’t Stop Me Now” “Straight Up The Block” “Alphabets” “Paper Plate” “Pencil”
12. Scars on Broadway-Scars on Broadway
On most of the System of a Down recordings, when Daron Malakian sings, you would just prefer that frontman Serj Tankian overpower him. But this straight-up rock album proves that Daron definitely has the balls to be the frontman. While it’s not prolific by any means, it is a damned entertaining listen that you just wanna crank up and headbang to (any real metal fans reading this are probably shaking their heads that this made it and Metallica didn’t). Maybe it’s not the same music System of a Down plays, or maybe it’s not as bizarre as Serj’s solo album Elect the Dead, but this is one fun ride that I will be enjoying again and again.
Notable tracks: “They Say” “World Long Gone” “Babylon”
11. N*E*R*D*-Seeing Sounds
Pharrell is a genre jumper and as the head of N*E*R*D* he is given the chance to really do what he wants to do. The entire album, based on the concept that you can visualize what you’re hearing is very out-there, but there’s some endearing quality that makes it work. Some of Pharrell’s repetitive sounds and samples sound a bit annoying, but as the layers keep adding and your foot starts tapping against your will, you’ll understand the masterwork that Pharrell has created. It’s not a classic, but it is a good testament to what N*E*R*D* is capable of.
Notable tracks: “Spaz” “Love Bomb” “Time For Some Action”


10. The Roots-Rising Down



Just like Common and NaS, The Roots have been hip-hop mainstays who also have delivered quality album after quality album, and unfortunately Rising Down is a bit of a fall from their peak (again, just like Common and NaS). With that out of the way, Rising Down is a fantastically fun album to listen to. It’s very moody, and Black Thought’s rhymes and flow mirror these moods perfectly. Also, there are some great collaborations with some very talented rappers. Mos Def burns it up, rapping the first verse on the album (which kind of bugs me, but it’s still good), Talib Kweli appears on a few tracks doing backup vocals, and then shows up to spit hot fire on “Lost Desire.” And ?uestlove’s musical arrangement can’t go without credit, but just like the entire album, it’s just not quite up to par with the rest of The Roots’ repetoire. And the album has an awesome track of Black Thought freestyling on “@15” which kind of shows just how far the Roots have came.
Notable tracks: “Rising Down” “Lost Desire” “I Can’t Help It”


9. Q-Tip-The Renaissance




Everyone that knows A Tribe Called Quest knows that Q-Tip is one of the most recognizable rappers in the game today. He’s got a voice that is entirely one of a kind, and his rap style is so calm yet biting at the same time. However, once Tribe called it quits for the first time, Tip kind of went off and made these extremely odd albums that no one really knew how to deal with. Who knows what clicked in his head at exactly what point, but The Renaissance is a return to form for the New York MC. It feels like a Tribe album without Phife Dawg if Tribe had evolved with their years. There is something in the way the Tip rhymes that really stands out among the heavier guys like Wayne and among the politically conscious guys like Black Thought and NaS, he fits somewhere in between, making records that you can dance to on the first listen, and then sit back and reflect upon on the second.
Notable tracks: “Gettin’ Up” “You” “Life is Better”


8. Lordi-Deadache



There is something about bands that have no remorse for the fact that they are nothing but cheese that gets to my heart. Lordi is one of those bands. Decked out like the bastard child of KISS and the Hellboy movies, Lordi assume the personas of demons, undead pharaohs, zombies, and more, and somehow maintain their musical abilities. They are not particularly innovative, but that is what makes them so good, they just set out to rock your faces off, and they do it so well. Singer Mr. Lordi’s growling voice never gets tired, and the addition of guitar solos from Egyptian Amen gives the band some musical credibility. And when listening to this album without any video, it gets to the point where you begin to ask, “These guys really dress up like idiots when they play? ‘Cause this music rocks pretty hard.”
Notable tracks: “Bite it Like a Bulldog” “My Monsters Keep Me Company” “Man Skin Boots”


7. Beck-Modern Guilt



Beck has been an alternative mainstay for a very long time, and he is one of the few artists who have never seemed to falter as far as quality is concerned, maybe his last album, The Information, seemed to be more of it’s predecessor Guero, but to say it wasn’t a quality album is a lie. But past albums aside, Modern Guilt is a catchy retro/psychedelic style is something new for the “Loser.” Much of the credit for the instrumentation can be attributed to superstar producer Danger Mouse, who upon meeting Beck, told him that any work on new songs would be scrapped, as the two were going to make Guilt absolutely from scratch. The end result is a very well polished album that sounds great. Maybe it’s not Beck’s best, but it is a new sound for this veteran.
Notable tracks: “Gamma Ray” “Chemtrails” “Modern Guilt”


6. Gnarls Barkley-The Odd Couple



And right after Danger Mouse’s production effort is his musical effort. Alongside rapper/singer Cee-Lo, Danger Mouse has helmed yet another pop masterpiece in the same vein and their extremely successful debut St. Elsewhere. The Odd Couple is different yet similar, like Modern Guilt, much of the album feels a bit retro, but Cee-Lo’s lyrics are just as sharp as they were on St. Elsewhere. If there is one thing that sets Cee-Lo apart from every other vocalist, it’s his undying honesty. He digs so deep into himself to make his music what it is, and the worst (or maybe best) part is that the music that he pours his soul into is oftentimes overly catchy pop tracks like “Charity Case,” the albums bass-heavy kickoff. And while this album may not be as highly regarded as its predecessor, I think given time, it will be given the praise it deserves.
Notable tracks: “Whose Gonna Save My Soul?” “Run (I’m a Natural Disaster)” “Charisty Case”

5. Eagles of Death Metal- Heart On



For those unaware, Eagles of Death Metal is the side project of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, and Jesse Hughes. The band started as almost a hokey gimmick, Homme playing drums regardless of his lack of training and Hughes cheesily delivering sex driven lyrics and shaking around in his too tight jeans. On Heart On, the band offers a bit more of the same, and at the same time, changes the path of their career altogether. Homme leaves the kit for most of the album, as the simplistic drums from their prior albums have been replaced by studio session-aires that can hold their own behind the kit. But the cheese factor is definitely still present, I mean the album is called Heart On for gods sake. Hughes and Homme share the mic, with Homme often singing backup to the eccentric voice of Hughes. But regardless of their corniness and cliché ridden songs, there is just some raw fun that emotes from their music that I haven’t quite seen in anything else in the past few years. If Homme keeps making awesome albums like this, I can see him appearing year after year after year.
Notable tracks: “Wannabe in L.A.” “Cheap Thrills” “High Voltage”


4. The Raconteurs-Consolers of the Lonely



If there is one person in music that I believe deserves to be exiled to the land of purgatory, it is that worthless drummer Meg White. She holds back the White Stripes as a band so much that I can’t bear to listen to anything of theirs prior to Icky Thump. However, her ex-husband and modern guitar god Jack White has finally tapped into his songwriting skills with a real band in The Raconteurs. Their debut Broken Boy Soldiers was so catchy and original, that I couldn’t help but get excited for their follow up and Consolers of the Lonely is just as entertaining. If there is one thing that satisfies me in music, it’s when artists I want to see shine go out and make themselves the brightest star in the hard rock forefront. I wish Jack White would ditch Meg altogether and make the Raconteurs his mainstay band.
Notable tracks: “Salute Your Solution” “The Switch and the Spur” “You Don’t Understand Me”

3. The Cool Kids-The Bake Sale (EP)



Now for those unaware, you are probably saying, “How does an EP end up on this list while the great Chinese Democracy is so far down?” but The Cool Kids have pushed the concept of an EP to the very limit. The duo, Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inlglish take hip-hop to a place where it hasn’t been for some time, to a place of sheer fun. Take the minimalist beats of Pharrell, the catchy fun rap style of Slick Rick, and the skateboard (well in TCK case it’s BMXing) mentality of Lupe Fiasco, and you have two of the most entertaining rappers alive right now. The EP runs ten tracks and is basically like dangling a hot dog in front of a fat person, it’s a tease. It only runs about half an hour, and afterwards it leaves you going “Aww man that’s it?” and it appears as if that is exactly what The Cool Kids want to do. It is worth listening to for both fans of hip-hop and fans of good times. To say it’s retro is partially true, but the most accurate thing to say would be that it’s retro elements help make it one of the best records of the year.
Notable tracks: “What Up Man?” “Mikey Rocks” “Black Mags”

2. Vampire Weekend-Vampire Weekend



I’m not a huge fan of this indie music. I mean I dig it, but I’m not gonna go out of my way to get ahold of it. However after hearing the tremendously catchy “A-Punk” I had to get my hands on Vampire Weekend’s debut. Just like The Cool Kids, this album is a bit of a tease, as it’s short run time really leaves the audience wanting more. But if there is one thing that Vampire Weekend does well it has to be their musical arrangement. The four man band seem to layer things perfectly without excessively over tracking. The complimentary guitar and keyboard lines are something that I’ve never really heard in the realm of indie music (but remember that I’m not the biggest indie fan). My biggest hope is that these guys head to the studio soon to make a follow up because I’m anxious for more Vampire Weekend.
Notable tracks: “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” “Oxford Comma” “A-Punk”

1.Atmosphere-When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold



Sort of a dark horse victor, the hip hop duo Atmosphere made by far the most interesting and intricate albums of the year. When Life Gives You Lemons… is an entirely unpredictable and damned entertaining album that sounds like nothing else in hip hop. Rapper Slug writes the most intricate and engaging rhymes I have ever heard. This album plays like a Shyamalan movie, as some tracks have downright twist endings. If that didn’t sink in read it again- a song…having a…twist ending! How is it possible? Take the track “Yesterday,” is Slug talking about an ex girlfriend? An old friend from high school that he hasn’t seen? Oh wait…when the end of the song is reached you go “Oh wow.” And there are other tracks on the album that do the same! The album is catchy, original, and unbelievably honest, which is too rare these days.
Notable tracks: “You” “Shoulda Known” “The Waitress”

So that’s that. Check back soon for more updates!