The Best Albums of 2008
Submitted by lbangs on Wed, 03/26/2008 - 02:45
Tags:
- 1) Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
- 2) Portishead - Third
- 3) Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
- 4) Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!
- 5) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
- 6) Fleet Foxes
- 7) TV on the Radio - Dear Science
- 8) No Age - Nouns
- 9) Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
- 10) Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Author Comments:
A few of these are so freakin' accessible, they make Scaruffi cry!
I'll agree with you on Real Emotional Trash and Lust Lust Lust, but Made in the Dark left me in the cold.
Fair 'nuff!
I think that's pretty much how I felt about Hot Chip's last album - terrific singles, but the disc as a whole didn't really light my fires.
I really do dig the new one, though...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Your "comments" gave me my first literal LOL of the day. Thank you.
Good!
I hope all know my humor is meant to inspire laughter, not spite! I poke holes in some of the more fervent discussions round here, but I mean no harm...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Of course.
And I am quite happy to watch you poke holes. If you tear down a failed argument, all is good. If the position you attack is well defended, all is good.
It seems to me that Scaruffi critiques rock music like a knowledgeable critic of fine art or classical music, rather than as the average, ignorant hipster looking for cred or the typical genre fan (Pitchfork ♥ Radiohead).
edit: (Of course, I don't wish to imply you belong to either of those groups.)
And so, accessibility is not one of his criteria, but technical (artistic) and emotional innovation and effectiveness. Thus his Best of 2007 list includes accessible indie hits like Person Pitch, Neon Bible, and Sound of Silver, but also lesser known intelligent works like While My Guitar Violently Bleeds and Birds Call Home Their Dead.
And don't forget his choice for best rock track of 2005.
lbangs, I don't believe I've mentioned this to you yet, but I picked up Real Emotional Trash and Accelerate from the library (the former entirely on your recommendation, the latter partially on it) and really liked both of them. It was just what the doctor ordered for a Pavement and REM fan, and of course I loved the fact that the Malkmus disc had a song called "Baltimore."
Have you heard Vampire Weekend's self-titled album, by the way? If so, what did you think of it?
I'm glad you enjoyed both! I was afraid you would come back and throw something at me for recommending Accelerate, since not all R.E.M. fans like it...
I like the Vampire Weekend album, but it doesn't impress me quite as much as it does others. In all fairness, though, I probably need to spend a little more time with it.
Speaking of Baltimore, I've downloaded The Wire and have started watching an episode every Sunday night. So far, I love it.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Accelerate is much more rock-heavy than I'm used to from REM, so I can understand why that would throw some people off. It's still damn good though, and it still feels like REM to me.
I'm not sure Vampire Weekend deserves to be called the next big thing in indie rock, but I do think the album is a ton of fun and catchy as hell.
Ooh, I thought you might dig The Wire. I've been obsessed with it lately. I'm about to finish the second season and have already ordered the third. It's hilarious to me to sit in my little Jewish suburb of Baltimore and watch what apparently is happening twenty minutes away, thinking that I can claim some allegiance to the setting of this show even though it is so far removed from how I live my life.
My friend tells me that they introduce a new aspect of Baltimore every season and still keep up with past seasons' institutions, so by the last season, there's a ridiculous amount of characters the show is following. I can't wait!
Accelerate is the album Monster, Reveal, and/or Around the Sun should have been.
I've no problem with that statement, although I like portions of Monster (though not the entire disc, sadly)...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I like all three to greater or lesser extents, but they did have problems. And by "problems", I mean a lot of mediocre tracks padding out the good stuff. "Accelerate" doesn't really have any such "problems", IMO.
I'll definitely have to spin the Vampire Weekend album some more, then.
Right now, I'm listening to Sigur Ros' latest - so far, so good! :)
I'm only a few episodes into The Wire right now, but somehow it didn't shock me to see an ex-Homicide actor behind the camera on the show! :)
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
THE WIRE!
I'm so excited to hear that you are watching my favorite show of all time. It's brilliant isn't it?
Two weeks until Generation Kill.
There are times I wish I had HBO...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I love it so far.
Between watching that and waiting for the new season of Mad Men to start up this month, my summer television schedule is slim but exciting!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Looks like you're pretty heavy into indie rock, but have you tried the debut by Deathconsciousness? I'd like to know what you think of it.
I was happily surprised that Third wasn't a repeat of Portishead's earlier work.
Can you provide more information? Rhapsody and All Music Guide searches both returned zero results.
Portishead did a terrific job of surprising and stretching while still sounding like the same band. The album is terrific.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
From the label.
Ah, the band's name is Have a Nice Life. That's why I couldn't find anything on them!
I'll investigate; thanks!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Oops, yeah, I said that backwards!