Top 25 of 2008 - Alphabetically (Part V)

Ah, the end of the line. The last, though definitely not least, five albums in my best of 2008 list.

Shearwater - Rook

While Okkervil River seemed to get the lion's share of the attention this year for their recent release, former member Jonathan Meiburg's long-time side project, Shearwater, made the better album. With a powerful, yet gorgeous, voice and gift for avant-garde songwriting, Meiburg creates many breathtaking moments on Rook. The album requires some patience, especially during some of the many slower, more delicate moments, but the songs are absolutely beautiful and the band's oft-restrained accompaniment is exceptional.
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Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

I had never been much of a fan of Sigur Ros before this year, but their latest album took the band in a slightly different and much more palatable direction. While several of the long, slow-burning, ambient anthems the band is known for can be found here, so too can three minute indie pop songs like "Gobbledigook" and the triumphant "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur." It's a flattering sound for the band, who manage to maintain their signature beauty while making their music much more accessible than they had previously.
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TV On The Radio - Dear Science

TV On The Radio is another band that I could never really learn to love until 2008. Dear Science toned down the fuzzy, noise-rock of their earlier albums, presenting a much more pop-oriented side of the band. It's an exciting record that is at once aggressive, thoughtful, and triumphant. Singer/songwriters Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone are at the top of their game here, as is producer and multi-instrumentalist David Sitek, who wraps their songs in layers of guitar, keys, and horns, creating a fantastic alt-rock sound.
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Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend built up an enormous amount of hype even before their debut record was released early this year. Immediately, the backlash started. To illustrate, Vampire Weekend was voted the most overrated act in Stereogum's reader poll, but were fourth in the "Best Album of 2008" category as well. Me, I think the album is an addicting indie-pop gem that didn't exactly change my life, but provided a half hour of quirky, afro-pop-meets-indie goodness. It's a fresh, fun, record that certainly deserves the praise.
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Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

At just a trim nine songs (but 45 minutes in length), At Mount Zoomer manages to pack a powerful one-tw0 punch from front-men Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner. While the record is more cohesive than the group's debut, it still features songs written separately by both artists, and one massively epic closer, "Kissing The Beehive," as a collaboration. It's complex and plenty weird but maintains a melodic accessibility that makes the whole project very approachable. I've listened to this album repeatedly and loved it more every time.

Filter's Top 10 Album List

Filter just released their Top Ten Albums of 2008 List, so I thought I'd pass it on to see what everyone thinks. As for myself, I don't really get why everyone's getting all excited about MGMT (they're not bad, they're just not THAT good), but Fleet Foxes, TV On The Radio, and Bon Iver will make my top 10 this year. Thoughts?


Filter Top 10 Albums of The Year:

1. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular (Columbia)
2. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
3. Dr. Dog, Fate (Park the Van)
4. TV On The Radio, Dear Science (Interscope)
5. Foals, Antidotes (Sub Pop)
6. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)
7. She and Him, Volume One (Merge)
8. M83, Saturdays = Youth (Mute U.S)
9. Cut Copy, In Ghost Colors (Modular/Interscope)
10 The Dears, Missiles (Dangerbird)


Also, if you go here you can see individual staff top 10 lists which include mentions of a few more of my favorites like Wolf Parade, Johnny Flynn, and Sigur Ros.

Review: TV On The Radio - Dear Science, (* * * * *)

In 2006, TV On The Radio exploded in a big way with their critically (and I would imagine somewhat commercially) successful Return To Cookie Mountain. It was deemed an instant classic, an album to which all other albums were measured against that year. It was unique, fascinating, visionary, and I didn’t really like it. I know, I know. Maybe it was just beyond my capacity to understand and appreciate. Whatever the reason, the album didn’t do it for me. I decide to give TV On The Radio another shot with Dear Science (I'm going to leave the comma out of the album name for punctuation's sake), one of the most anticipated releases of the year and an impossible one to ignore. It completely blew me away and has immediately become one of my favorite albums this year.


Dear Science marks TV On The Radio’s foray into modern pop music territory. I realize that might sound scary to some, but with the plethora of ideas and amount of experience the band brings to the table, nobody should be worried. While borrowing from a variety of bands and styles (“Golden Age” sounds like it was co-produced by Beck; “Crying” has all the funk and falsetto of Prince), TV On The Radio never sound derivative, providing their unique signature to each song. Credit should go to multi-instrumentalist and producer David Sitek for giving the album a warm, full sound and finding the balance between familiarity and experimentation. The menacing horns on “Red Dress” make for a danceable apocalyptic party tune, strings and keys add to the poignancy of “Family Tree,” and “DLZ”s distant thundering percussion is gripping and intense.


Of course, the true test of any album is not the production, but the songwriting, and Dear Science passes with flying colors. Lyricists and singers Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone are in fine form here; using their melodic and emotional voices to great effect. The beautiful harmonies and catchy choruses often belie very serious lyrical undertones dealing with death, change, and fighting the powers (Bush, probably) that be. Even if the tracks are easy to enjoy on a more superficial level, the depth of the writing makes the album truly special. The songs are both immediately accessible, and immensely rewarding upon subsequent listens.


Blending an eclectic mix of styles, cultures, and sounds, TV On The Radio have created what should once again serve as a measure for albums made not only this year, but well into the future. Dear Science is a triumphant testament to the vitality of pop music.


Favorite Tracks: “Golden Age,” “Red Dress,” “Crying”

Hear the full album on their MySpace Page