Audio Treat of the Week:Top Ten Albums of 2008

Where does the time go? Almost one year ago, I started posting to Evolve Happy with my Top Ten Albums of 2007. The funny thing about making a top of the year list is you don't even really think about what came out, and when, until the end of the year. With downloading being so readily available, most albums feel new. Even if they were released decades beforehand. Truth be told, I had a hard time making a list of what came out that would even be considered. I'm sure I forgot something important. Sometimes when an album comes out, and I like it, I play it out so fast that it doesn't get listened to again all year. So here they are. My top ten albums of 2008, in no particular order.

Black Mountain - In The Future (Jagjaguwar)

From Pop Matters: "In the Future is an expansive statement of an album, full of big guitars and cold space, a variety of sounds and a hard-earned and ever-present brilliance." read review in its entirety

Download: Black Mountain - Bright Lights mp3




Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (XL Recordings)

From Pop Matters: "...no one was entirely prepared for this—Sigur Rós’ pop album." read review in its entirety

Download: Sigur Rós - Gobbledigook mp3





Thee Oh Sees - The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In (TOMLAB)

From Pop Matters: "While presentation and even gimmickry have always had a place in garage rock, the best bands have managed to balance style with substance." read review in its entirety

Download: Thee Oh Sees - Visit Colonel mp3





TV On The Radio - Dear Science (DGC/Interscope)

From Pop Matters: "TV on the Radio’s music is a new kind of rock ‘n’ roll, one that collects all of this itinerant noise and recycles it, spits it back out as a pulsing, sandblasted reckoning." read review in its entirety

Download: TV On The Radio - Red Dress mp3




Hot Lava - Lavalogy (Bar None)

From RVA Magazine: "Stirring up the ingredients of surf music, lounge and pop rock, then throwing them into some sort of lo-fi electro tornado, they've crafted one fine birthday cake you know something wonderful is about to jump out of."

Download: Hot Lava - Apple+Option+Fire mp3



Brightblack Morning Light - Motion To Rejoin (Matador)

From The Onion (A.V. Club): "Lazy saxophone exhalations, lightly swung beats, and female R&B backups answer for the southerly side of Motion To Rejoin's southwestern roots, while that inescapable feeling of finding a way out of a listless hangover is universal." read review in its entirety

Download: Brightblack Morning Light - A Rainbow Aims mp3




Autechre - Quaristice (Warp)


From Pitchfork: "Autechre's research-and-development-style approach to music making is one of the things they're known for, but Quaristice is said to be special in that regard. Instead of focusing on the micro, painstakingly stitching together each track second-by-second, this album grew out of jamming..." read review in its entirety


Download: Autechre - Rale mp3


Calexico - Carried To Dust (Quarterstick)

From Pitchfork: "Ultimately, this is the type of record this band is suited to making, and it richly rewards repeat listening-- details and melodies that seem buried or understated eventually come to fore, slowly revealed in a mixture of organic warmth, welcome variety, and subtle complexity." read review in its entirety

Download: Calexico - Victor Jara's Hands mp3




Indian Jewelry - Free Gold! (We Are Free)

From Dusted Magazine: "Mistakists at heart, Indian Jewelry have made one of the most interesting releases of the year." read review in its entirety


Download: Indian Jewelry - Hello! Africa mp3






Beck - Modern Guilt (Interscope)

From David Balderdash: I had to include this album among my favorites for 2008. Mainly, because it's a return to form for Beck. His last 2 albums have fallen so flat, in my opinion, that it was just nice to see him make good music again. I hope he keeps it up.


Download: Beck - Gamma Ray mp3


Well, that's all for this year. I'm glad to see so many albums from the "mainstream" in my list. As cynical and ahead of the curve some of us like to be, it's still nice to see that good music makes it's way into the top 100 sellers each month. This opinion will change, and change back, but I do enjoy the ride.