My Favorite Vinyl Releases from 2008

Below are my favorite releases on vinyl from 2008. Naturally this list is limited to releases on vinyl and also ones that I personally own. Overall I would say that 2008 was a weaker year than 2007. Without releases by bands like The Shins, Wilco, etc. there was room for some new names on the list. I consider the first three on this list "must haves" from the last year with all being worthy for at least a spin or two.

Here is a video of my picks from last year.

So here's my list for 2008 with links to their relevant Wikipedia page, whenever possible. If you see me out and about hit me up for a CD featuring some of my favorite tracks from this list, all transferred from vinyl. Happy Holidays!

1. TV On The Radio "Dear Science"- an amazing record all around, their "OK Computer". It's no surprise to see this top many lists as it is the clear stand out from the year. Their decidedly urban approach to Indie rock is unique and you can expect a flood of imitators in the coming years.
2. Fleet Foxes "Fleet Foxes/Sun Giant EP"- this band came out of nowhere releasing and EP and LP in a couple months and winning all the cynically hipsters over in the process. At first you might think you are listening to My Morning Jacket c.2002 or a weird Beach Boys outtake or maybe some strange CSN track from the 70s. But once you get past these obvious references you hear their timeless songs about rivers, trees, winter coats, walks and all the wonderful minutiae that makes up our strange modern world.
3. Deerhunter "Microcastle/Weird Era Continued"- this album came to me late in the year well after everyone else had gawked over the band. I'd read about the band and in particular the singer Bradford Cox who has Marfan Syndrome (like Joey Ramone). They seemed interesting but not necessarily worth listening too. Finally I picked up Microcastle which comes with the companion disc "Weird Era continued" and became a convert. This band has a preciousness that reminds me of how I felt listening to the Pixies for the first time.
4. Flight Of The Conchords "s/t"- although this is ostensibly a comedy record I found myself playing it again and again for the music as much as the humor. You don't have to be a fan of the HBO series to appreciate this record, it really stands on its own. I would say this album has had more plays on the turntable than any other in my collection over the last year. It's a great record for the whole family despite some PG-13 content which seems to go over the kids' heads. The hilarious takes on the Pet Shop Boys, David Bowie and others just seem to get better with each listen. Something you won't find in most comedy albums.
5. MGMT "Oracular Spectacular"- another album that I just discovered although it was released earlier this year. I had read about the band on music blogs but it wasn't until a friend included a track on a mix that I realized I needed to pick this up. Produced by David Fridmann of Flaming Lips fame, this album is a perfect marriage of great songs, performances and production. Maybe it will wear thin with additional listens but for now it's one of my favs.
6. Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago"- really this is a 2007 release but since I discovered it in 2008 and it was also re-issued by Bton's JagJaguwar (a sister company to Secretly Canadian). Recorded in an ice fishing cabin in the middle of the woods, this is a classic loner album. Dark and sad but not without a good serving of beauty and hope. The songs seem to expand with each listen.
7. Gnarls Barkley "The Odd Couple"- this was a good year for Danger Mouse. Between this stellar album he also produced Beck's "Modern Guilt" (#9 on my list) and the Black Keys album which I haven't picked up yet but have heard good things about. The funny thing about Danger Mouse is that he isn't the world's greatest engineer. He reminds me a little of Brian Wilson, has a great understanding of arrangement but not so much engineering. His recordings often seem to have been run through selective eq filters removing all mid range, or adding brittle high frequencies or straight up static to tracks. I can't say I totally appreciate that part of his asthetic but he is a hell of an arranger and beat maker. So "The Odd Couple" is a strange record, musically and lyrically, but it succeeds in more ways than it fails.
8. Of Montreal "Skeletal Lamping"- at first I was a big big fan of this album. After last year's (and my #1 pick) "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? " I had high hopes for the follow up. The first half dozen listens seemed to show that "Skeletal Lamping" was a worthy successor but with additional plays it has begun to ring a little hollow. This album is certainly ambitious, a rough journey into leadman Kevin Barnes' ID, but you start to miss the spiritual yearning that balanced out the ego pumping of "Hissing Fauna". Still, there is no-one else out there doing what Of Montreal does, Kevin Barnes stands apart as one of the true musical geniuses of our time. We haven't seen talent like this since Prince's heyday so I will keep listening.
9. Beck "Modern Guilt"- another Danger Mouse collaboration and a fine one at that. If it weren't for a weak side two this album could have broken my top 5. The first half is vintage Beck, great songs that are his most personal since "Sea Change". The production, like Gnarls Barkley, has some head scratching moments but overall hits the mark. The duo make a good team producing Beck's best album in years.
10. My Morning Jacket "Evil Urges"- this album follows on the heels of the band's breakthrough "Z" which saw a dramatic shift from mid-fi stoner jams to a more experimental and produced sound. This album builds on this transition with a healthy nod back to the band's roots. Although this can be seen as an uneven release it succeeds overall in moving the band forward. Growth is a good thing even if there are awkward moments.
11. Human Highway "Moody Motorcycle"- sort of a guilty pleasure for me. Sometimes reminding me of the 90s hits of Sugar Ray that I found myself humming along with resentfully. A fun record to put on anytime you want to brighten the room.
12. Grampall Jookabox "Ropechain"- this album by Indianapolis's own came as a bit of a surprise to me. I've been following "Grampall" aka Dave Adamson for a few years now. His previous bands include BigBigCar and Archer Avenue both of which are well known to most folks following Indiana music. But even with that context this album seemed from left field. I was not a huge fan of the first Grampall Jookabox record. I thought it was fun but didn't stick to me. This one is sticky from the first track. Mostly recorded alone over the course of a week "Ropechain" ranks in my book as one of the great bedroom albums and I predict it will grow in stature over time.
Read an interesting conversation on MFT about this album and its re...
13. Margot And The Nuclear So and Sos "Animal/Not Animal"- another Indianapolis release, well actually releases. You may have heard the story already but if not here it is in one sentence- the label, Epic, wanted to put out one set of songs "Not Animal" and the band wanted to put out another set of songs "Animal!" so to compromise they released both on vinyl and only "Not Animal" on CD. In my opinion the label's track listing is more on target with the release I would have chosen. I think the result here is a little confusing since the two albums share 5 songs. I would have liked a few tracks from "Animal!" moved to "Not Animal" etc... Anyway, if you cull the 8 sides of music here there is a lot to love. An impressive group of songs.
14. Sun Kil Moon "April"- Mark Kozelek is nothing if not consistent. Maybe it's his reported OCC. He produces record after record of great songs, well recorded and excellently presented. "April" fits in nicely with his entire catalog. The songs at first all pretty much sound the same but after repeated listens they grow and expand until developing unique personalities. The perfect Sunday morning album.
15. Beach House "Devotion"- at first this album just breezed by me. I bought at my brother's recommendation along with the Fleet Foxes LPs and it was clearly not an equal. But with additional listens it has grown on me and snuck into the last position on my list.