Top 4 Albums of 2008

An idea recently came to me, as if in a dream... Shrouded in the fog of pretention, cocooned as it was in its warm world of naivete, this idea decreed to me: "Dude, you should totally make a list of albums from this year that you liked in ascending order. That would be so awesome."

The albums will be listed below, along with brief descriptions of why they are awesome. The main criterion I had in mind was which records I consistently went back to. If you disagree, please feel free to argue with me in the comments section.


Dr. Dog - Fate
With songs like "The Ark", "The Old Days", and "Army of Ancients", the Philly based do-it-yourself group prove that they are capable of making a thoroughly enjoyable album, even when they're in a nice studio. The album has tracks, like "The Breeze", that are marked by the distinct fun-ness of guitarist Scott McMicken. Bassist Toby Leaman contributes some very soulful and sad vocals to compliment the happy vibes, giving Fate a new dimension that Dr. Dog lacked in previous records.

Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

Jesus. Kevin Barnes really pulled out all the stops on his THIRTEENTH release. Cue some comparisons to Ziggy Stardust, Queen, and Scissor Sisters. Cue something snarky like: One thing Skeletal Lamping definitely doesn't sound like is Cherry Peel. The mood on this album goes from late night wanderlust to to just about every other place Barnes' alter ego Georgie Fruit wants to take you. It will penetrate your fantasy.

Man Man - Rabbit Habits

Their third release in four years, Rabbit Habits takes the all the chaotic energy, creative instrumentation, and bittersweet crooning of their previous records and improves on them. Songs like "Poor Jackie" and "Whale Bones" reveal a ponderous and more reserved side to pirate-esque shanties and sea songs like "Butterbeans" and "Hurly/Burly." My personal favorite from this album is "Big Trouble" because it really puts their talents on display. You may hear some nonsense about how their recordings don't do justice to their live shows. If you do, tell the butt-horn that said it to go suck a fat one. That being said, Man Man's live shows are awesome and you should check out this performance of "Big Trouble".

Ratatat - LP3

This album is a bit of a departure from Ratatat's usual m.o. but it still revolves around the New York duo's ability to write kickass songs. They expand their instrumentiation to include live percussion and synthesizers, which add a different dimension to their sound. In LP3 Mast and Stroud prove they can retain the video game dynamic of their sound (if you can picture evolving from SNES to PS3 or something) while experimenting with an entirely new arsenal of instruments. This pretty much convinces me, as it should you, that their next release will be equally if not more impressive (you heard it hear first).