The Sounds of 2008

I'm missing the covers for Josh Pyke and Nick Cave....they've gone awol sadly)

I thought I would follow in last year's tradition and compile a list of my top ten albums of this year. I guess it’s pretty clear my tastes are rather random. I’d love to know everyone else’s favourite albums, so please share : )

1. Josh Pyke – Chimneys Affire
I very much love this album, it’s gorgeous in so many ways. I've written about this before (and his first album was no 2 last year). The more I listen to this the more I hear in it and love it.
Favourite songs: Make You Happy and Our House Breathing.

2. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
This was a slow growing album for me, but it’s so simple and sounds fantastic. Can’t wait for some summer weather to play this on a road trip. Favourite songs: Oxford Comma and Mansard Roof.

3. Muse - HAARP Live at Wembley
Ok so none of these songs are new but this concert is amazing. It has to be listened to very loudly and has some great rock guitar moments as well as brilliant piano and dance elements. They are very high up on my “have to see live list” (well for a second time because I briefly saw a bit of their set at the Big Day Out a few years ago). Favourite tracks: Stockholm Syndrome, Map of the Problematique and Starlight.

4. Lyrics Born- Everywhere at Once
I have a weakness when it comes to this style of hip hop (lots of fun and not offensive). He is so good, plus in the film clip for “I like it I Love It” he dresses as Mr T, very cool. I think seeing him live this year inspired me to listen to this album more than I otherwise might have (it’s not as good as his old stuff), but it’s lots of fun to dance to.

5. Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream
There are three brilliant tracks on this album: Walking on a Dream, We are the People, and Standing on the Shore. So catchy and so cool. Walking on a Dream was played very heavily on repeat!

6. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Very gorgeous album, perhaps not as dark or as heavy as some of their other albums this is beautiful and I love the drumming on the first song. This cd stayed in the car for a long time and was always such a fresh change when it came on.
Favourite songs: Gobbledigook and Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur.

7. Faker- Be the Twilight
This wasn’t realesed this year but I didn’t start listening to it until 2008 so I’m putting it on my list. Sleepwalking is an amazing track, he has a great voice. This album reminds me a lot of the Cure (and I love, love the cure!)

8. DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist – The Hard Sell
The third installment along with Brainfreeze and Product Placement, these two are genius together (and musical geniuses)! You never quite know where you will be taken or end up, I love what they do, they are two of my all time favourite musicians.
(random piece of information: the chemist teacher in Juno is Cut Chemist!)

9. NIck Cave – Dig!!! Lazarus Dig
The dark man himself! A bit more upbeat than his past few albums and actually has some extremely catchy songs on it. I’m going to see him in a few weeks and am soooo looking forward to it.


10. Razorlight – Slipway Fires
There's something about Razorlight, about Johnny Borrell's voice that draws me in. This album is a littler slower and different for them but it has grown on me recently. Plus they were looking for the new sound on the Boosh!!

Best concerts of the year:

Crowded House and Josh Pyke
Lyrics Born
Rufus Wainwright
Jeff Martin
Rocket Science