A Best of 2008 Music List

About ten years ago and earlier, I would have had many albums to sort through from which to pick my top albums of the year. Sometimes it was hard to limit it to ten (only eight this year). As I've gotten older and less hip, it's easier, because I don't buy as many and/or the albums I purchased didn't come out in the current year.

I should be proud of myself, because browsing through my catalog, I liked almost all of the 2008 albums I purchased. That doesn't mean I purchased a lot, but I actually really liked what I DID purchase. I purchased a few singles from albums where I didn't want the entire thing, but I thoroughly enjoyed most that were purchased in their entirety.

My best of 2008 list:
1. She & Him's Volume One - by far my most listened to. I love Zooey's voice. I love the throwback feel to the record. I love every little bit of this record. Favorite track: Sentimental Heart.

2. MGMT's Oracular Spectacular - This is a close second in play counts on the ipod and inclusion on playlists. A completely different feel than the prior, yet just as inviting. I like the 70's feel to some of the songs on this, but others are completely pop-sounding, and others cannot be categorized. Favorite Track: Kids and Electric Feel in a dead heat.

3. The Gutter Twins' Saturnalia - Yes, a lot of this is grunge-tinged. Mark Lanegan from Screaming Trees comes by it naturally, though, and I'm a typical girl who thinks Greg Dulli's voice is dreamy...so, I am a fan of this record. I'm fairly new to it, but I adore it. I dig the driving, ominous feel to it. Favorite track: Again a dead heat - between The Stations and God's Children.

Other records I enjoyed but don't feel the need to elaborate on:

4. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (Fave track - M79)
5. Raveonettes - Lust, Lust, Lust (Fave track - Blush)
6. Santogold - Santogold (Fave track - Lights Out)
7. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (Fave track - Grey Estates)
8. The Breeders - Mountain Battles (Fave tracks - German Studies or It's the Love)

Favorite song of 2008 (thanks to Rick Emerson for even making me aware of it):
Morgan Grace's "Valentine". The perfect pop ditty.

*rereading this i have to explain that i will always call them records. i know i'm old...