Top 10 Albums
Nick Cave & the Bad SeedsDespite having the same line-up that recorded the last Bad Seeds record, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! has more in common sonically with Nick Cave's 2007 Grinderman project. This record sounds more raw and aggressive than the past few Bad Seeds records and has the spirit of the earliest Bad Seeds stuff.
Times New VikingTimes New Viking have had a good year. They released their stellar Matador records debut, Rip It Off, toured the world, and inspired countless bands to write and record fuzzy, shambolic pop records. Rip It Off has a number of classic TNV tracks; "DROP-OUT," "Faces on Fire," and "Another Day" are a few of my favorites.
Black Mountain
Thomas Function
Eddy Current Suppression RingThe second album from Australia's Eddy Current Suppression Ring sounds a bit like the Modern Lovers meet the Fall. The album was nominated for a number of awards in Australia and has garnered glowing reviews from just about everyone. Not bad for a band that originally intended to play one show then quit.
Fucked UpChemistry Of Common Life was one of the most impressive punk records released in 2008. It is epic in scale, one of the biggest sounding punk rock records ever made. This probably turned off some of their more punk rock fans as I imagine vocalist Pink Eyes' voice was probably a breaking point for some of the Pitchfork set.
TV on the RadioDear Science isn't as immediate as Return To Cookie Mountain or Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, but after a few listens, it is just as good. TV On The Radio are one of the most original sounding groups around and delivered an excellent third album.
CheveuCheveu's art-damaged synth-punk sounds like a blues-informed French Suicide or Metal Urbain on a four-track. Never has apathy sounded so menacing. The live show's menace becomes a murky tension on the album, especially on standout tracks like "Jacob's Fight" and "Unemployment Blues."
Blank DogsIn addition to being one of the most mysterious, Blank Dogs were one of the most prolific acts of 2008. It seemed like they were releasing a new single or EP almost every other month. On Two Sides is their first LP. Most of these tracks could easily stand on their own as singles.
Crystal StiltsCrystal Stilts are dark and reverby. While they don't sound exactly like them, the Jesus & Mary Chain are a good reference point as far as mood and texture goes. Alight Of Night is made up of new recordings of many of their earlier songs as well as a few new ones. The prevalence of older material is the only complaint, although the new versions are all excellent.
Sex VidSex Vid are a mysterious hardcore band from Olympia. They have no web presence, go by first name only on album credits, and release records in relatively limited quantities. These things make being a fan a little bit of work, which is refreshing in this day and age. The Sex Vid style of hardcore comes from an era when hardcore and punk could mean the same thing in both sound and in aesthetic. In those days, sometimes just knowing about a band or a record meant something, while actually hunting down a copy of that record could be life changing. Musically there is no bullshit. The track "Nests" is just over a minute long, but manages to make its point effectively.
SistersSisters play a brand of noisy lo-fi indie rock that would've fit right in the late-80s/early-90s. Think early Sonic Youth, early Sebadoh, or even Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments with a less charismatic frontman—they even sound a little like they could come from Columbus. The cover art is gorgeous. This is a cool record that not many people seemed to notice. This was even recorded at Dub Narcotic. Fans of the current crop of Siltbreeze records may want to track this one down.
TelescopesThis CD compiles all of the Telescopes singles from the What Goes On years through the Creation records years. Every track is a winner, and many are difficult to come by. The Telescopes write great B-sides, and hearing the singles together makes the Telescopes progression a little more obvious. When listened back to back, the first Telescopes record Taste and the untitled second LP, they almost sound like different bands, but when you hear the singles through those years, the progression makes a lot more sense. The Telescopes were one of the more overlooked bands from the classic shoegaze era. Hopefully this compilation will rectify that.
Cheap TimeCheap Time's adrenaline fueled power-pop made for one of the catchiest records of the year. Their debut full-length flies by quickly and sounds as though it was recorded by hyperactive teens on adderall. It sounds like it could've come out in the late-70s when anything and everything that didn't sound like the mainstream was called punk. The cover art even looks like a classic power-pop record.
FailuresFailures is Mark McCoy's most recent band. You know his name from Charles Bronson, Das Oath, Holy Molar, Virgin Megawhore, Ancestors, and nine million other bands that no one will ever hear. This record was very limited, as most things on Youth Attack are. Failures sound like Das Oath, but with more fury. The recording captures a hardcore band in the red. Failures sound pissed off and desperate. If this volatile energy weren't expressed through punk rock, who knows what these men might do?