Top Five Albums of 2008

Yeah, it was inevitable. Just rest assured, there was nothing you could've done to avoid this.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Now, I haven't heard every single one of Nick Cave's albums, but this is the first one I have heard that I really loved. It's got drive and passion and bite and sneering cynicism and weary, weary resignation. Nick Cave sounds like an utter, awesome, bastard. Fantastic.

Portishead - 3

From the moment I saw that shitty recording of Silence live at ATP I knew this was going to be awesome. And I was right.

Zazen Boys - 4

I really think that Japan should be very, very proud of producing Zazen Boys, and that Mukai Shutoku is a goddamn genius. Some kinda messed up math-synth-pop-spazz-space-rock with half-sung, half-spoken lyrics and a dynamite, DYNAMITE, band.

Vast Aire - Deuces Wild

Man, since Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein is one of my favourite records ever, it's really good to hear that Vast Aire can put out stuff like this. I've got reservations about some of LXG, his crew, but he himself fucking rocks here. So many comic book references too, I approve.

Subtle - ExitingARM

Still my favourite band in the world, ExitingARM wasn't quite as good as for hero:for fool, but since that's one of my favourite records ever too, that's ok. It's still a blistering mix of EVERY kind of music into one surprisingly cohesive whole. I couldn't find a good youtube of their music so you get this clip that they made themselves of some of the stage banter from their last tour:

So, those are my top five. This year I also got hold of a bunch of other albums that were all pretty great in one way or another but they didn't knock me down like those five did. Also rans included:

TV on the Radio - Dear Science
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
NIN - The Slip
The Notwist - The Devil, You and Me
The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
Girl Talk - Feed The Animals

I got the David Byrne and Brian Eno album too, but it really wasn't all that great. I kept trying to remember anything off it after it finished playing, but after coming up with a blank after the third time through I gave up.

And if I'd picked up the Marnie Stern and Deerhoof albums they probably would've been up there, but I didn't get the chance yet.

There, that wasn't all that painful was it?