Best Albums Of 2008
The Album Project has been around for about a year and a half now and has continued to grow thanks to you. The goal was to simply talk about music we loved, some we didn’t and to recommend music you maybe hadn’t heard of. Hopefully we are doing that but what better way to recommend music that to highlight the best records from 2008. Below is the list along with some other random facts/tidbits about the site.
Most Read Full Review: Jack’s Mannequin – The Glass Passenger
Least Read Full Review: This Holiday Life – The Beginning Of The End Of The World
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Top 10 Albums
10. Boris Smile – Young And It Feels So Good
These songs are so full of life and innocence that it becomes contagious. Although it’s not trying to be a concept record it is so perfectly themed throughout including the cover art and interludes that it’s hard not to get caught up in asking yourself, “Why do you like being young?”
Full Review
Favorite Song: “A Cruel Time In Life”
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9. Capital Lights – This Is An Outrage
This album provides some of the slickest, sugar coated pop rock of 2008. ‘This Is An Outrage’ is one of those records that may get a lot of flack because of the style but make no mistake this is the real deal and hard to forget.
Full Album Review
Favorite Song: “This Is An Outrage”
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8. Coldplay – Viva La Vida [Or Death And All His Friends]
Coldplay is so well known, so popular and yet they were able to create a record that made you forget about everything but the music. The band was not afraid of scratching itches that most had neglected and put forth an experience that is transforming.
Full Review
Favorite Song: “Strawberry Swing”
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7. Copeland – You Are My Sunshine
This album took awhile to really infect me but it kept pulling me back over and over to listen to it which is exactly what your music to do. I don’t think this is the band’s best record but close to it.
Full Album Review
Favorite Song: “Good Morning Fire Eater”
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6. Driver F – Chase The White Whale
With more hooks in their index finger than a lot of bands have all over it’s just a matter of time before this unsigned energetic rock band is bigger than the current band you’re listening to. You will not be disappointed.
Full Album Review
Favorite Song: “Temple Of Doom”
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5. Jack’s Mannequin – The Glass Passenger
The depth, heart, and burning passion that makes an album more than just a collection of songs was put into this record and it shows right from the start.
Full Album Review
Favorite Song: “Hammers & Strings”
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4. Damiera – Quiet Mouth Loud Hands
Aggressive and structured this record shows Damiera’s tremendous ability to take their progressive rock style and give it incredibly infectious melodies. This record earned it’s spot on the list by not being able to be forgotten.
Full Album Review
Favorite Song: “Nailbiter”
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3. Seabird – ‘Til We See The Shore
Basically this is exactly how piano infused rock ‘n rock should be done, everything about this album screams quality.
Full Album Review
Favorite Song: “Let Me Go On”
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2. Jon Foreman – Spring & Summer
Brilliant song writing, matched only by very few in the music industry at this time. Honesty drips from every word, emotion rings from each note and the themes of each season make this 2 disc record a truly unique experience, enjoyable all the way through. (Although not mentioned Fall & Winter are close behind)
Full Album Review: [Spring] [Summer]
Favorite Song: “Your Love Is Strong”/ “A Mirror Is Harder To Hold”
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1. The New Frontiers – Mending
This is an album that from start to finish is one complete thought, one encapsulating experience. None of the songs especially overshadow another but rather each work together to produce an album that transcends mood and circumstance to meet you where you are. An Absolute must own record.
Full Album Review
Favorite Song: “This Is My Home”
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Best EP (7 Songs or Less)
5. Tv/Tv – Something To Get Excited About [1 Liner]
4. Lanterns – Apocalypse Youth [1 Liner]
3. Eye Alaska – Yellow And Elephant [Review]
2. Death In The Park – Self titled [Review]
1. Magnolia Son’s – Jails Everywhere [Review]
If Magnolia Son’s would have come out with a full length record, it would have been a close contender for album of the year, that’s how good the EP is. Please seek it out because this band is too good to go unnoticed.
Best Unsigned Band/Artist
3. Joel Rakes
2. Driver F
1. Magnolia Son’s
Best Album Artwork/Layout
1. Seabird – ‘Til We See The Shore
Favorite Song
1. Nada Surf – “Weightless”
Most Disappointing Albums
3. Crusierweight – Big Bold Letters
2. The Cab – Whisper War
1. Lovedrug – The Sucker Punch Show
Most Anticipated Albums of 2009
5. Future Of Forestry – TBA
4. Starsailor – All The Plans
3. Fair – TBA
2. Mat Kearney – TBA
1. MuteMath – TBA
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Let us know whether or not you agree [respectably please] or just leave your top 10 list for 2008.
Tags: best albums of 2008, best of 2008
December 4th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
my 10 in no order
1. torche – meanderthal
2. good old war – only way to be alone
3. wild beasts – limbo panto
4. russian circles – station
5. maps and atlases – you and me and the mountain
6. silver jews – lookout mountain, lookout sea
7. bon iver – for emma, forever ago
8. girl talk – feed the animals
9. margot and the nuclear so and sos – animal!
10. these arms are snakes – tail swallower dove
December 4th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
awesome picks dude!!!
December 4th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
First of all: I’m interested in looking up some of the albums I don’t recognize. That excites me.
2nd – I put Seabird on my top 10 disapointments. I loved their EP and waited forever for the LP to come out and when it did it didn’t expand on anything. I give it 3 stars.
3rd – You missed Wild Sweet Orange, We Have Cause To Be Uneasy.
4 through 10 – Alive in Wild Paint!!!!!
This one goes up to 11 – I agree with you on Capital Lights and The New Frontiers (RIP).
December 4th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
i will give you wild sweet orange. They would have for sure man a top 20 list, people should definitely check them out.
we’re gonna have to disagree on seabird though.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Glad to see The New Frontiers made the top spot. Amazing album. They will be missed terribly.
Sorry to see you didn’t enjoy the great new Lovedrug release. It deserves a lot of time and attention to really grow on you. I hope you’ll go back and listen to it some more.
Also sorry to see that The Gaslight Anthem album was deserving of only an “honorable mention” on your blog.
My Top 10 of 2008:
Lovedrug – The Sucker Punch Show
Jon Foreman – Seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer) – EPs
Nada Surf – Lucky
The Myriad – With Arrows, With Poise
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Cardinology
Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs
The New Frontiers – Mending
Jeremy Messersmith – The Silver City
The Gaslight Anthem – The ‘59 Sound
House of Heroes – The End Is Not The End
December 5th, 2008 at 8:56 am
i agree – wild sweet orange is pretty good. but im not sure top ten worthy. the gaslight anthem is also another stand out this year.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:53 am
#9 and #7 are both on my list as well…but shhh don’t tell anyone, its a secret ;)
December 5th, 2008 at 10:34 am
No Anberlin? That’s a shame…
December 5th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I stand by the anberlin review but the problem was that it wasn’t as big a leap forward as their past records.
Simply put it’s great when you listen to it but it didn’t pull me back over and over
December 5th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Some of my favorite albums of the year. Pretty much anything I listen to consistently makes my top of the year list, and this is it.
Amanda Palmer-Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
Anathallo-Canopy Glow
Annuals-Such Fun
Cajun Dance Party-The Colourful Life
Dear and The Headlights-Drunk Like Bible Times
Detektivbryån-Wermland
Jukebox The Ghost-Let Live and Let Ghosts
Miniature Tigers-Tell It To The Volcano
The New Frontiers-Mending
Noah and The Whale-Peaceful, The World Lay Me Down
Paper Rival-Dialog
Peter Moren-The Last Tycoon
Phantom Planet-Raise The Dead
Right Away Great Captain-The Eventually Home
Ruru-Elizabeth
Styrofoam-A Thousand Words
December 7th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Boris Smile needs to be mentioned. Boris Smile choose to celebrate the simple beauty in life with wide open eyes and a loving heart. More people need to get hip to this band and the positivity they spread. Pure good feelings. They are more than deserving of this top ten honor, plus many many more long overdue accolades.
December 8th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I liked the variety you show in your top 10 list… so many year end lists stick to only one genre or whatever is ‘trendy’… here are 10 of my faves:
Copeland- You are my Sunshine
Fleet Foxes- s/t
The New Frontiers- Mending
Vampire Weekend- s/t
The Myriad- With arrows, with poise
The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
Kanye West- 808’s and heartbreak (yes, i was even into the auto-tune)
Cold war Kids- Loyalty to Loyalty
The Verve- Forth
She and Him- Vol.1
December 9th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Did you mean Most Anticipated Albums of 2009 at the very end? Because it says 2008.
Thank you for keeping up such a quality site.
December 12th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I picked up Seabird’s album because of your blog Tyler. I love them! So thanks for showcasing them. I’ve stumbled upon a lot of great new bands thanks to this site.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
One of the best albums of 2008 that has received little recognition: Malbec – Dawn of Our Age