2008 ended eleven days ago. But it took us an extra week and change to decompress and gather our thoughts on the outgoing year and all it contained.

As usual we compiled an exhaustive list of music we dug last year. And we all gave our take on the music, movies, people and beards that made 2008 what it was.

Enjoy reading it on the toilet.

EL KETER BEN TZADIK



ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

of Montreal ‘Skeletal Lamping’ Polyvinyl

I caught wind of ‘Skeletal Lamping’ before of Montreal's ‘Hissing Fauna, are You the Destroyer?’ even dropped. The near two year wait between ‘Hissing Fauna...’ and ‘Skeletal Lamping’ was tough. Sure, I had plenty of of Montreal awesomeness to hold me over; ‘Hissing Fauna...’ was incredible, the ‘Icons, Abstract, Thee’ EP was a nice bonus, and their cover of M.I.A.'s “Jimmy” a treat. But I missed seeing them live for a second year in a row, and knowing there were all new of Montreal songs on Kevin Barnes' laptop ready to molest my ears—songs others heard live on their last tour—amped up my anticipation of ‘Skeletal Lamping’ to electric levels. The day I got it I immediately put it on my iPod and took it for a walk, intending to give it a once over. But by the second song's end I was skipping back to review and make sure I was hearing what I thought I was hearing. And what I was hearing—wild, multi-part arrangements synthesizing Bubblegum, Chamber-Pop, Garage, Glam, Prog, Punk, Funk, Synth-Pop, Alt-Rock & Twee influences, built on programmed beats & softsynths, buoyed by Disco basslines, and imbued with playful indie-isms, stereotype-shattering themes about identity, and Barnes' twistedly literate songwriting that's both otherworldly and carnal—was breathtaking.

SONG OF THE YEAR:

MGMT “Electric Feel”

Hey, Michael Jackson...Ya know how nobody pays you any mind unless it's to make fun of how you look or mock your alleged predilection for little boys? Have you ever wondered why you get so much attention for your eccentricities yet nobody seems to give a fuck about your music anymore? Well...It's because your songs don't sound like the Justice remix of MGMT's “Electric Feel.” Seriously, can you just get Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay on le téléphone and get to work on an album that will return you to the glory you once enjoyed during your ‘Off the Wall’ and ‘Thriller’-fueled heyday?

For rest of you reading this...“Electric Feel” was already the song of the year before those filthy French fucks got their sweaty fingerprints all over it. It was a massive tune for me and Emeyesi on our now defunct Urban Alternatives radio program. And I played it so much in my private life I found myself singing it even when I wasn't listening to it. I was singing it so much that it started driving the people around me a little nutty. And just when I and everybody within earshot thought the song had run its course the Justice remix hit and extended the song's shelf-life—and its sing-a-long cache—almost infinitely.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

Lil Wayne “A Mili”

This easily could‘ve been my guilty pleasure song of the year, which would’ve made this the second time Wayne won that accolade. But despite the fact that I'm generally unimpressed by Wayne and actually threw his ‘The Carter III’ CD in the trash, I can't deny how important this song was this year. The minimal, bass-heavy beat from Bangladesh is every bit as important to the song's success as Wayne's sterling, non-sequitur-laced punchlines. But “A Mili” was one of those rare songs where Wayne lived up not only to his own hype but his potential as well. It was dope. It banged in the whip. And it was fun drawling along to its “a mili in here, a mili in there...coconut derriere...tougher than Nigerian hair” lyrics all Summer.

GUILTY PLEASURE SONG OF THE YEAR:

KiD CuDi “Day N Nite”

While it's true I usually reserve the guilty pleasure category for artists and songs I wouldn't typically enjoy I had to flip the script this year. You see, “Day N Nite,” the debut single from Cleveland, Ohio hipster-hopper KiD CuDi was one of my favorite songs of the year. I burned this shit—both the original mix and the Crookers version—down to a cinder. Which brings me to the fact that “Day N Nite” is a song about smoking weed. And while I‘ve enjoyed plenty of songs about drugs in my lifetime while simultaneously abstaining from them I feel a bit guilty about liking a song about a “lonely stoner” so much. I also feel an extra twinge of guilt because this year—during which I never stopped playing “Day N Nite”—I broke my prohibition against the smoking of marijuana. I’m not blaming KiD CuDi—or anyone else, other than the voters of Massachusetts who de-criminalized possession of small of amounts of herb—for my indulgences, but the coincidental timing was hard to ignore.

WORST MOVIE OF THE YEAR:

‘The Dark Knight’

Yes, I said wost...Though the first ten minutes of Christopher Nolan's ‘The Dark Knight’ are amazing, the remaining 142 are a travesty that dishonors Batman—and two of the most notable rogues in his gallery—and besmirches the character's near 70 year legacy. Why? Because it reduces Batman—who possesses no super-powers but is known as “the world's greatest detective,” is a master of disguise and an amateur scientist, is trained in deadly fighting arts, who Superman himself has called “the most dangerous man on Earth,” and who's defeated Supes in combat more than once—to a growling, no-crime-solving, technological gimmick. In the comics Bats solves mysteries, beats the tar out of street toughs and defeats mentally unstable master criminals using only his wits, his physical strength and equipment he builds and maintains himself. In ‘The Dark Knight’ he doesn't solve anything, rarely fights anybody (and when he does you can't see any of the action because of shitty framing...But more on that shortly) and utilizes bullet-proof suits, Bat-Pods (with guns) and super-bat-vision (compelling neither as a story-telling device or visual effect) which his multi-million-dollar company invents and maintains. Remember that whole section where the two ferrys are rigged to explode? Did you notice, Batman didn't intervene at all? He didn't figure out what was going on with his detective skills, swoop in with his ninja skills, kick anybody's ass or defuse the bombs...The situation RESOLVED ITSELF when the people on the ferrys being threatened by the Joker's machinations THREW THE DETONATORS OVERBOARD! Not only is that lazy writing, it's a waste of time and a character who's purpose is taking action in such matters. Which brings up another thing...Christopher Nolan can't choreograph or shoot action for shit, and that's an enormous problem in a movie series about a crime fighter! And while I'm complaining about how the flick looked, why is it that Gotham, which usually has a distinct look & feel—even in Nolan's previous batflick—was suddenly so generic looking? Batman fights crime in downtown L.A. now? And I'd love to say I appreciate the actors...But Christian Bale is hidden behind a clunky suit, poor scripting and that terrible “bat voice”...Heath Ledger's Joker wasn't fleshed out enough to invest in beyond the “fun” of watching a psychopathic sadomasochist caricature—a pale imitation of Tadanobu Asano's characterization of the similarly deformed criminal madman Kakihara in Takashi Miike's ‘Ichi the Killer’ at that—which is beneath my expectations of The Joker, much less an award-worthy performance...Poor Maggie Gyllenhaal is just another dead damsel...And Aaron Eckhart—whose Harvey Dent was one of the only things I liked about the film—has what could‘ve been a triumphant arc as Two Face—if it had been left to a prospective third film—shoved down our throats in a final act rush-job that does the actor, the character, and the audience a disservice. Oh, and did I mention the movie had Deebo in it? No, really, Deebo was in a Batman movie and HE SAVED THE DAY! It pains me to say it because I love Batman so much, and comic book movies had a good year (see the far superior ’Hellboy II' and ‘Iron Man’) otherwise, but ‘The Dark Knight’ was the worst movie I saw all year...And I saw ‘The Happening!’

(HU)MAN OF THE YEAR:

Barack Hussein Obama

On the night of November 4th me and m. Cody looked at one another, said “America just elected a guy named Barack Hussein Obama president” and high-fived the fuck out of each other.

BEARD OF THE YEAR:

Walt Whitman

Yes, he's been dead for quite some time...But PBS ran an incredible biography on the man who is the arguable father of urban-alternative culture here in America this Summer and it made his facial follicles impossible to ignore.

EMEYESI



ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

TV On the Radio ‘Dear Science’ Interscope

These dudes went from a band I really liked...a lot...to one of my favorite bands of all time in like 3 songs. Right around the time the chorus of “Dancing Choose” began. I was blown away by ‘Return To Cookie Mountain’ but ‘Dear Science’ left me speechless. When I first gave it a listen on a drive out to Worcester all I could do was make the doo doo face. I sat in my truck in front of Miss Behavin's house until it was finished.

SONG/SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

M.I.A. “Paper Planes”

I played this shit at Cereffusion's wedding. I heard it on mainstream radio and called Keter up. I turned two of the kids I work with into M.I.A. fans when I played them the entire album after they asked about “the song with the cash register and gunshots in it, ya know the one from ‘Pinapple Express’.” I smiled when I heard a teenage girl singing the chorus out loud at the mall. I smiled even bigger when it was nominated for a Grammy as “Song of the Year.” So what if it dropped in 2007? It OWNED 2008!

GUILTY PLEASURE SONG OF THE YEAR:

Katy Perry “Hot & Cold”

This shit is like that Pink joint from last year mashed up with Kelly Clarkson's joint from a few years ago. Maybe because the same dude(s) produced all three. C‘mon...FOOL ME THRICE! SHAME ON ME! Katy Perry is a sexy lady though.

MOVIE OF THE YEAR:

’The Dark Knight'

He's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector...a dark knight.

(HU)MAN OF THE YEAR:

You.

Usually You suck. In 2008, You didn‘t. Big up Yourself.

BEARD OF THE YEAR:

This guy:




MISS BEHAVIN’



ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

School of Seven Bells ‘Alpinisms’ Ghostly International

It was recently added to my CD collection and was the first CD I bought in a long time. I purchased it from the band and they actually autographed it for me and I'm regretting not getting a picture to go with it.

Anyway, if heaven had soundtrack for 2008 it would be this album. Identical twin sisters, with nearly identical vocals, Alejandra and Claudia along with former Secret Machines band member Benjamin Curtis make this album flawless.

M83 'Saturdays = Youth' Mute

I heart you Anthony Gonzalez, just as much as you heart the 1980‘s. There were a few songs on the album I wasn’t too keen on, like “Up!,” but there were songs that made up for them (see song of the year below). The whole album was basically a mix of various soundtracks to 80's movies in a modern twist. The one song that really stood out to me was “Skin of Night” because I could hear this song being played during the train “ride” scene in ‘Risky Business’…ooh-la-la.

SONG OF THE YEAR:

M83 “Kim and Jessie”

Amazing song that gets me up and running every time, seriously it's on my iPod running mix. Everything about it is amazing, from the vocals to the production of the song. It's like an 80's melody that I will never grow tired of listening to. It's a great song to have a fashion show/catwalk run or make a killer dance routine to too, preferably on skates like the chicks in the video.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

MGMT “Time to Pretend”

Vampire Weekend “A-Punk”

GUILTY PLEASURE SONG OF THE YEAR:

Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”

If you ever want me to see me get my groove on just play this song and I will be like one of those dancing flowers with the sunglasses. All I need now is a leotard and a girl dance posse.

MOVIE OF THE YEAR:

‘Wall-E’

‘Twilight’ may have been Emeyesi's favorite movie but I was torn on which movie I was blown away watching. So far ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Wall-E’ and ‘The Spirit’ have been my top three flicks of 2008, but if I had to choose one of them it may as well be ‘Wall-E.’

I mean ‘Dark Knight’ was amazing, when I first saw it. Then after I watched it again I realized I didn't like it as much as I had thought. Bale is one of the better actors to play Batman, sorry Clooney, but I got tired of his “I sound like Clint East wood after I took a giant dump and smoked a pack of cigs” voice and wondered how his suit could prevent bullets and knife stabs but not a dog bite!

Yeah the special effects were cool, and I enjoyed Two-Face's digital mutilated face, but for me, Health Ledger made that movie. I really enjoy psychotic characters in movies or literature and Health's performance kind of creeped me out in a good way. It's a damn shame his life ended before the movie premiered.

Anyway, so ‘Wall-E’ was my movie of the year on various levels. Its animation was superb. The beginning reminded me of a “silent movie” and Wall-E was a robot reincarnation of Charlie Chaplin. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and what I appreciated most about the movie was its message.

Global warming, consumerism and obesity were a few subjects lingering in the movie, but the main associations I made were existence and connections. Think about it, we‘re all small little beings on this great planet and yet we don’t exist until someone recognizes us or connects with us.

Though the irony is in this vast world of technology and more gadgets to link us together the more isolated we become, which was happening with the pudgy little weeble-wobble type characters. We‘re slowly becoming that society with our Bluetooths, iPods, computers at Starbucks hiding behind who we really are and missing out on the life around us.

It was a great, and clever, commentary on our society and what the future may hold if we continue being in denial about our climate crisis, isolate ourselves through gadgets and buying material possessions to keep up with the Joneses.

Also, I just love robots and any message about saving our earth, besides from the hippies, is okay by me!

(HU)MAN OF THE YEAR:

Mr. Barack Obama

BEARD OF THE YEAR:

Thomas Beatie

Are we seriously still doing this category? C’mon! I would have boycotted it if that transgender who had the baby this year, Thomas Beattie, didn't have a beard. Well he did, and he's pregnant again!

LADY GLOCK



ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

N*E*R*D ‘Seeing Sounds’ Star Trak

In the past few years, I have stopped listening to full albums, so picking an album of the year is kind of difficult. But Seeing Sounds was definitely one album I listened to all the way through. It was really great to hear N*E*R*D doing what I feel they do best and doing it better than the last few releases they‘ve had.

SONG OF THE YEAR:

Le Le “Breakfast”

I can listen to this song over and over and over again. It has given me a new catchphrase to say (“Bitch…you breakfast!”) and the video, which features the amazing work of Dutch artist Parra, is one of my favorites released this year. The name “Jean Pierre LeDouche” has also been permanently ingrained in my vocabulary.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

Kanye West “Love Lockdown”

Ok, I know this song was a miss with a lot of people, but for me it was a total hit. Between the strong Taiko sounding drums, the heartfelt lyrics, the funky video and the fact that Kanye was actually singing, the song as a whole was just a winner.

GUILTY PLEASURE SONG OF THE YEAR:

Britney Spears “Womanizer”

I feel like every year, my guilty pleasure song is a Britney track. But seriously, this song gets me dancing and I always find myself singing along with it in the shower.

MOVIE OF THE YEAR:

’The Dark Knight'

Probably the only movie I really saw in the theaters this year. It was at the IMAX in London too, which just made the movie going experience that much more entertaining. Heath Ledger's Joker made the movie for me as well and all the techno gadgets used in the film (whether real or not) got my geek girl juices going.

(HU)MAN OF THE YEAR:

Barack Obama

An absolute given. The man made history and got a discontented nation to actually be interested in politics again. He gives me such hope for the future that just thinking about it makes me want to cry uncontrollably.

BEARD OF THE YEAR:

Tom Cruise as Les Grossman in ‘Tropic Thunder’

This choice was not made so much because the beard was that impressive, but more because it was that ridiculous. Firstly, Tom Cruise playing a bald man with a beard is just absurd. Secondly, Tom Cruise playing a JEWISH bald man with a beard who likes to dance to Flo Rida's song “Low” as a way of dealing with his problems is just so ridiculous that it actually works.

ADD-MMM



ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Alexis Taylor ‘Rubbed Out’ Treader

This decision was super difficult for me. Having a career to focus on really pulls your attention away from the things you love, so I spent so little time focusing on music this year. But I did manage to listen to a handful of albums and the one that came up on top was Alexis Taylor's solo ‘Rubbed Out.’ For the past year I‘ve been refining my crusade against over-edited/superficial production in music. I think it’s so disingenuous to put out an album that's so highly edited it doesn't even match the talent of the artist. Basically I hate liars. There's nothing worse for me than enjoying an album and then watching the artist perform on some late night show, only to hear the singer butcher his or her own song.

You can imagine my delight when Alexis Taylor's album dropped. ‘Rubbed Out’ is a beautifully crafted album that hits on all the quintessential songwriters techniques. Taylor's voice comes off so fragile in it's delivery of brutally honest lyrics and his music is so straightforward no nonsense that I can't help but be reminded of such artists as Jeff Mangum and Daniel Johnston. This album is exactly what I feel music should be.

SONG OF THE YEAR:

Girl Talk “Shut the Club Down”

Girl Talk blew my mind with this one. The whole track is phenomenal but GOOD LORD when Aphex Twin busts in, my brain melts cause it's so mind bogglingly good! Plus anyone that can make Avril Lavigne less annoying is a prodigy in my book.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

N*E*R*D “Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)”

Everyone knows that it's “Everyone Nose!”

N*E*R*D really outdid themselves with this joint. This shit is so hot I'm surprised there's any clubs left in the wake of its fire!

GUILTY PLEASURE SONG OF THE YEAR:

Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”

It was emulated, mocked, adored, and basically splattered all over damn place so obviously it's “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé. I admit that it's my guilty pleasure but I swear to God (even though I don't believe in him/her/it) that I am done with all the YouTube videos with people doing the “Single Ladies” choreography. Enough is enough people!

MOVIE OF THE YEAR:

‘No Country for Old Men’

Hands down, ‘No Country For Old Men.’ You may recall I don't like going to the movies. Teenagers go to the movies and I avoid them like the plague. But on occasion Iron Giant and I will catch a matinee and enjoy having the theater to ourselves. It happened a few times this year and on one of those occasions we caught the latest Coen Brothers flick. Hot damn it was real good.

Josh Brolin's character is just as effing crazy as Javier Bardem's and it makes for some awesome dialogue. The film's adapted story fits perfect into the Coen Brothers' style and repertoire which include but are not limited to ‘Raising Arizona’ and ‘Barton Fink.’

Tommy Lee Jones delivers an absolutely chilling epilogue that creates such amazing imagery that awesomely showcases his ability to distill beautiful emotion from simple text.

Plus there's all the awesome Coen Brothers filming techniques and amazing shots that make you pine for an ounce of their talent.

See it if you haven‘t!

(HU)MAN OF THE YEAR:

Barack Hussein Obama

People...

Our next president is named Barack Hussein Obama!

You feel that?

Barack “muthafuckin” Hussein Obama!

Shit son! If it’s change you wanted then it's definitely change you received. Way to go homie!

BEARD OF THE YEAR:

Thomas Beatie

Pregnant Trans-Man. He's his own beard! How efficient.

R-UH



ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

M83 'Saturdays = Youth' Mute

Epic.

SONG OF THE YEAR:

Hot Chip “Ready for the Floor”

M83 “Couleurs”

James Pants “Cosmic Rapp”

CSS “Give Up”

In the movie version of my life, I'd marry James Pants, dance with CSS at the reception while Hot Chip plays “Ready for the Floor,” and then drive a De Lorean off into the sunset as Mr. and Mrs. Pants while “Couleurs” plays over the credits.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

KiD CuDi “Day N Nite”

KiD CuDi somehow infiltrated the monopoly Rihanna, Akon, and T-Pain have over L.A. radio stations to get regular airplay on Power 106. Impressive. And awesome.

GUILTY PLEASURE SONG OF THE YEAR:

Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”

I Am...Sasha Boring, including this song, but damn, I love that video!!

T.I. “Whatever You Like”

So the song's misogynistic. I really can't get enough of the way he says “Let-me-put-this-big-boy-in-your-life!”

MOVIE OF THE YEAR:

‘Let the Right One In’

Reason number 1:

Reason number 2:

Those are some real special effects.

(HU)MAN OF THE YEAR:

Sophie McInnes



BEARD OF THE YEAR:

Baron Davis

It's just so versatile.

REVEREND SHE-RA



ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Crystal Castles ‘Crystal Castles’ Last Gang

It's the album I rocked the hardest all year.

It's written in Cyberstone.

SONG OF THE YEAR:

Portishead “Magic Doors”

SINGLE OF THE YEAR:

Crystal Castles “Courtship Dating”

GUILTY PLEASURE SONG OF THE YEAR:

Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)”

MOVIE OF THE YEAR:

‘The Bank Job’

(HU)MAN OF THE YEAR:

Barack Obama

How could I not?

BEARD OF THE YEAR:

George Clooney


THE BEST OF ‘08 A-Z

#:

3OH!3 ’Want' Photo Finish

8thw1 ‘Love, Money and Music’ Self-Released

14KT ‘The Golden Hour’ A-Side Worldwide

45 ‘Hello Friends’ Origami

45 King ‘Scion AV Remix EP’ Scion Audio Visual

The DJ Ayres remix of “Roof” with Wale was a deep, retro Disco-Rap monster. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

64revolt ‘Aim for the Flat Top’ 64revolt

88-Keys ‘The Death of Adam’ Decon

100dBs ‘Brenner’s Breaks Volume 2' Self-Released

My voice was on it. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

1000names ‘Worth Making a Noise About’ Eklektik

A:

Adam Tensta ‘It’s a Tensta Thing' RHM

Adele ‘19’ XL

I swear the first time I heard the single “Chasing Pavements” I thought she was saying “chasing penguins.” Oh well, she still has a great voice. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Air France ‘No Way Down’ Sincerely Yours

Ironic title for a band that sounds like an airline. I was listening to this album while in my studio one night and got a jolt of creation while listening to it. I wanted to meditate, then dance. Not bad for a 6 song EP. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Al Green ‘Lay It Down’ Blue Note

Alex Moulton ‘Exodus’ Expansion Team

Alexis Taylor ‘Rubbed Out’ Treader

One of these days I'm going to record my homemade video for “Plastic Man.” It's going to rule. - EMEYESI

Alias ‘Resurgam’ Anticon

Ana Laan ‘Chocolate and Roses’ Upfrontworks

Anavan ‘Cover Story’ Slanty Shanty

Animal Collective ‘Water Curses’ Domino

I spent a lot of time this Summer sitting on a bench on an inner-city streetcorner singing along to “Cobwebs.” - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Antony and the Johnsons ‘Another World’ Secretly Canadian

Apes and Androids ‘Blood Moon’ Self-Released

As in Rebekkamaria ‘Queen of France’ A:Larm Music

Tracks like “Army of Foxy” and “She Lion” stood out like fun, flirtatious updates to the ‘60s French pop sound. - R-UH

Astronautalis ’Pomegranate' Eyeball

Atlas Sound ‘Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel’ Kranky

Atmosphere ‘When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold’ Rhymesayers

Atomic Hooligan ‘Sex, Drugs and Blah, Blah, Blah...’ Botchit & Scarper

Ave.To ‘Three Way Intersection’ Ashara

B:

Baby Charles ‘Baby Charles’ Record Kicks

Bad Dudes ‘Eat Drugs’ Retard Disco

Baje One ‘The Weightless EP’ Embedded/Definitive Jux

The Bamboos ‘Side-Stepper’ Tru Thoughts

Bang Bang Eche ‘Bang Bang Eche’ Self-Released

Bang Gang ‘Ghosts From the Past’ Cod

Not sure how this got onto my iTunes but I read their name as Gang Bang and thought the album sounded like a terrible soft-core cover of Smashing Pumpkins. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Bart Davenport ‘Palaces’ Antenna

The Battle Royale ‘Wake Up Thunderbabe’ Afternoon

Beach House ‘Devotion’ Carpark

Some broad on Craigslist posted an add asking a stranger to come over and listen to this album with her the other day. I e-mailed her and told her that I liked their debut more. Yes, I'm a nerd. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Beck ‘Modern Guilt’ Interscope

I wish listening to “Gamma Ray” turned people into the Hulk like real gamma rays do. If it did I'd be running through the streets in my torn pants turning over cars and shouting “TRANSISTOR SOUND, SMASH!” - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Beck + Dangermouse = Delicious - EMEYESI

All I can think of when listening to “Gamma Ray” is the original Mouse Club kids dancing on the beach and surfing the waves. Amazing! Another Danger Mouse album that was produced for a 2008 album release, does either him or Beck sleep? - MISS BEHAVIN'

Belleruche ‘The Express’ Tru Thoughts

Benga ‘Diary of an Afro Warrior’ Tempa

Bass! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Benji Hughes 'A Love Extreme' New West

Beard! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Berry ‘Mademoiselle’ ICP

The Billionaires ‘Really Real for Forever’ Too Soon

Bisc 1 ‘When Electric Night Falls’ Embedded

Black Affair ‘Pleasure Pressure Point’ V2

The Black Ghosts ‘The Black Ghosts’ Iamsound

“Some Way Through This” was a monster. The Skream and Plastician remix mutated it into a city-destroying ‘Cloverfield’ monster. But the album was way too long in coming. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Was it worth the wait? Fuck yes. This shit THUMPS! - EMEYESI

I'm still digesting this album. I love the beats in all the songs and all the songs sound amazingly different, but at times I found myself having a love/hate thing for Simon Lord's voice, which is odd because I really liked his voice on Simian Mobile Disco's single “I Believe.” It works for some songs on the album but on others his style wasn't doing anything when the beats were so powerful. - MISS BEHAVIN'

The Black Hollies ‘Casting Shadows’ Ernest Jenning

The Black Keys ‘Attack & Release’ Nonesuch

Can't go wrong with this album or many albums produced by Danger Mouse. One of those albums you need to play on a long drive to nowhere. Album has its highs and lows but my favorite tune is “Psychotic Girl.” - MISS BEHAVIN'

Black Kids ‘Partie Traumatic’ Almost Gold

I like the rougher quality of the original demos better. But their official debut had a bunch more songs on it, which made up for the differences, and made me fall in love with these kids all over again. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Black Milk ‘Music From the Color Purple’ Self-Released

I actually liked this Prince-jacking mixtape more than his album. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Black Milk ‘Tronic’ Fat Beats

Black Spade ‘To Serve With Love’ OM

Some people care about Nas and Lil Wayne...Some follow rappers like Plies and Flo Rida...But people who actually love Hip-Hop listen to records like this. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Bloc Party ‘Intimacy’ Vice

After the “Flux” single dropped I demanded an entire album that sounded like that. I didn't think they'd deliver...But they did. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

There were three or four albums that I really was into this year. This was one of them. - EMEYESI

Brittany Bosco ‘Spectrum EP’ The Big Up!

Bobby & Blumm ‘Everybody Loves’ Morr

Bodi Bill ‘Next Time’ Sinnbus

Bon Iver ‘For Emma, Forever’ Jagjaguwar

Winter has allowed me to be in touch with my sad bastard side, the cold dark days where I want to do nothing. So if you need an album to daydream then weep to then this is your 2008 album for that. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Boom Clap Bachelors ‘Kort Før Dine Læber’ Music For Dreams

Born Ruffians ‘Red Yellow & Blue’ Warp

Brandon Miles ‘Kiss the Stars’ Milled Pavement

Brazzaville ‘21st Century Girl’ South China Sea

Brent Cash ‘How Will I Know If I’m Awake' Marina

Like drinking a big glass of silk in the sunshine. And by “silk” I mean silk the fabric, not the soy milk...Even though it's also as sweet-n-refreshing as drinking a big glass of the chocolate flavored version of that stuff with lots of ice-cubes in it too! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Bronx River Parkway ‘San Sebastian 152’ Truth & Soul

Puerto Rico, ho... - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Brownout ‘Homenaje’ Freestyle

Buff1 ‘There’s Only One' A-Side Worldwide

Buraka Som Sistema ‘Black Diamond’ Enchufada

C:

C.R.A.C. ‘The Piece Talks’ Tres

Los Angeles emcee Blu can do no wrong. And when he teamed up with Detroit rapper/producer Ta‘Raach as C.R.A.C. no wrong was done. This album was a triumph for progressive Hip-Hop, showing that the genre doesn’t have to sacrifice its experimental spirit at the expense of true-school grit. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Cadence Weapon ‘Afterparty Babies’ Anti-

“House Music” was the fucking jam. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

CALLmeKAT 'I'm In a Polaroid, Where are You' Playground

Cansei de Ser Sexy ‘Donkey’ Sub Pop

Cansei de Ser Sexy always knows how to get me off my ass and dance. That's exactly what happened when I put on “Rat is Dead (Rage),” true fact. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Why did everyone hate on this album like it didn't have the energy of their debut? Sure, it sounds more polished but since when does polish=boring? This was some serious poppy fun. - R-UH

The Carps ‘Waves and Shambles EP’ Urbnet

Not as raw as their first EP, but still outstanding, and it had The Cool Kids on it. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Caspa Codina ‘Caspa Codina’ Stop-Start

Cassettes Won't Listen ‘Small-Time Machine’ Self-Released

Chairlift ‘Does You Inspire You’ Kanine

Chin Chin ‘Chin Chin’ Definitive Jux

Cloetta Paris ‘Secret Eyes’ Skywriting

Clutchy Hopkins ‘Walking Backwards’ Ubiquity

The eden ahbez of contemporary breakbeat Jazz/Funk fusion dropped another irresistible banger without giving up so much as a clue as to who's really behind the beard. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Cocosuma ‘We’ll Drive Home Backwards' 3rd Side

Common ‘Universal Mind Control’ Geffen

I saw a lot of heads shit-talking this, but what the fuck do they know? The title-track was a dancefloor gem and there was only one song on the entire album I wasn't feeling. Com's fifteen year, 8-album track-record is pretty unprecedented in Hip-Hop. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Computerization ‘Computerization’ Self-Released

The Cool Kids ‘The Bake Sale’ Chocolate Industries

Sure we heard all these songs before, but ‘The Bake Sale’ was one of the best Hip-Hop albums of the last decade. Seriously...If you didn't like this record you don't like Hip-Hop, and you can go fuck yourself. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Finally! Throw in all the other mixtapes, EPs etc. etc...These dudes got much burn this year. - EMEYESI

Coultrain ‘The Adventures of Seymour Liberty’ Ju Ju Dust

Count Bass D ‘L7’ 1320

Cruiser ‘Happy Robots Smiling People’ KFM

Crystal Castles ‘Crystal Castles’ Last Gang

Album started off hopeful and “hip” but I got annoyed with it quickly with the over-abundance of hyper video game noises. Did they set base in an arcade and go to town? - MISS BEHAVIN'

Cut Copy ‘In Ghost Colours’ Modular

Another album I burned into the ground. These dudes wowed me with this one. - EMEYESI

Runner up for the best album of the year....It still is the best album I listed to this Summer. I played it nearly every day and everywhere. “Lights and Music” is one of my ring tones at the moment and has been since the album was released. - MISS BEHAVIN'

CYNE ‘Pretty Dark Things’ Hometapes

D:

Daedelus ‘Love To Make Music To’ Warp

Beautiful and funky, etheric and mechanical, this was Daedelus' best yet. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Dan Friel ‘Ghost Town’ Important

Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip ‘Angles’ Sunday Best

David Ramos ‘This Up Here’ Fake Four Inc.

De De Mouse ‘Sunset Girls’ Avex Trax

How does a Japanese dude make prettier, funkier, more soulful Pop music with a laptop and some voice-altering software than the entirety of the American music industry with all their millions of dollars and lavish recording equipment? - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

De Novo Dahl ‘Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound’ Roadrunner

Death Set ‘Worldwide’ Counter

Deerhoof ‘Offend Maggie’ Kill Rock Stars

The over-abundance of YouTube videos for this album cheapened it a little, but it was every bit as exceptional as their last couple of LPs. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Del the Funky Homosapien ‘Eleventh Hour’ Definitive Jux

Depth Affect ‘Hero Crisis’ Autres Directions

If you liked the Daedelus joint you need this. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Detektivbyran ‘Wermland’ Danarkia

Discuss ‘Aeration Swells’ Self-Released

Doomtree ‘Doomtree’ Doomtree

Dosh ‘Wolves and Wishes’ Anticon

Duffy ‘Rockferry’ Mercury

E:

El Perro del Mar ‘From the Valley to the Stars’ The Control Group

What Lykke Li will sound like when she grows up. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

El Ten Eleven ‘These Promises are Being Videotaped’ Bar None

Eleanoora Rosenholm ‘Vainajan Muotokuva’ Fonal

Electric President ‘Sleep Well’ Morr

Eliot Lipp ‘The Outside’ Mush

His next one is better, but shhhhhh... - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Emiliana Torrini ‘Me and Armini’ Rough Trade

Love her, love her voice, and she can make any song sound just right. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Emily Wells ‘The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties’ Creative Control

Empire of the Sun ‘Walking On a Dream’ EMI

The album cover made me reminisce about Gunther Gable Williams. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Envelope ‘Shark Bolt’ Weightless

Envelopes ‘Here Comes the Wind’ Brille

Epic ‘Aging Is What Friends Do Together’ Hand‘Solo

The Epochs ’The Epochs' Rebel Group

Erik Halldén ‘Memories, Oh, the Memories’ Cosy

Erykah Badu ‘New Amerykah Part 1 (4th World War)’ Motown

She sang “started with a rhyme from old ancient times, descedants of warlocks, witches with ill glitches, children of the matrix we be hittin' them car switches, seen some virgin Virgos hangin' out with Venus bitches” on a major-label R&B album! Oh, and that major label was Motown. Talk about progressive! Badu set the standard that R&B artists will be failing to meet for years with this one. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Eskimo & Sons ‘How Does It Feel to Be Crushed By One Man With the Strength of a Million’ Boygorilla

Esoteric ‘Esoteric vs. Japan (Pterodactyl Takes Japan!)’ Fly Casual

MF Doom didn't put out an album in ‘08, but Esoteric continued his career rehabilitation by putting out a Japanese-themed LP of songs that sampled Japanese artists which filled the Metal Faced villain’s absence really well. This one made Eso seem as unstoppable as the kaiju creatures he references throughout the album. I hope he maintains his position and delivers another classic in ‘09. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Esperanza Spalding ’Esperanza' Heads Up

Evangelicals ‘The Evening Descends’ Dead Oceans

Excepter ‘Debt Dept’ Paw Tracks

F:

Faded Paper Figures ‘Dynamo’ Shorthand

The Faint ‘Fasciinatiion’ blank.wav

Fight Bite ‘Emerald Eyes’ Self-Released

Filfla ‘Frolicfon’ Weather Headz

Flamingo Crash ‘Triangle Island’ Sidekick

Fleet Foxes ‘Fleet Foxes’ Sub Pop

I almost missed the Fleet Foxes party. They and their song “White Winter Hymnal” were featured on this Current TV snippet and I became obsessed with it. The album and its lush harmonies became the perfect soundtrack as Winter began to settle in here in New England. - EMEYESI

I find myself drawn to more and more artists/bands that have that mellow indie-folk-rocker sound. Does it make me want to go live in a cottage and sit on my rocking chair and play the banjo at night? Yes, but only during those warm Summer nights. I really enjoyed this album. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Flying Lotus ‘Los Angeles’ Warp

This album's “Bump...bump...ba-bump...clap...skeee-weeee-weee-woooooo...Bump...” sound should quiet most of the Dilla comparisons for a while. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Foals ‘Antidotes’ Warner Brothers

The Foreign Exchange ‘Leave It All Behind’ Nicolay Music

Don't get me wrong, I liked Little Brother, but they grew increasingly uninteresting leading up to their partial breakup last year. And the truth is, after hearing ‘Leave It All Behind’—where LB frontman Phonte abandons rapping in favor of singing—I don't care if I hear another Little Brother record—or a record where Phonte raps—again. This was R&B at its purest and most enlightened. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Friday Night ‘Friday Night’ Breakfast

You know all that shitty drug, money and sex-saturated radio and party Rap everybody likes so much? Well, Serengeti and Hi-Fidel made an album making fun of it and managed not only do it better than all the chumps on the radio, but make the shit sound good in the process. Oh, and they made the whole album a continuous story that's actually linear and compelling. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Frittenbude ‘Nachtigall’ Audiolith

Fuck Buttons ‘Street Horrrsing’ ATP

Fujiya & Miyagi ‘Lightbulbs’ Deaf Dumb & Blind

G:

Gang Gang Dance ‘Saint Dymphna’ The Social Registry

Gary War ‘New Raytheonport’ Shdwply

If James Pants never bathed and only recorded on a four-track cassette recorder he'd sound like this dude. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Geneva Jacuzzi ‘Kooze Control’ Self-Released

Gentle Touch ‘In Memory of Savannah’ Songs I Wish I Had Written

Ghost In the Water ‘Tooth’ Hidden Shoal

Ghostland Observatory ‘Robotique Majestique’ Trashy Moped

Giant Panda ‘Electric Laser’ Tres

Giovanca ‘Subway Silence’ Dox

Girl Talk ‘Feed the Animals’ Illegal Art

I think Greg Gillis can do what he does with all these songs because he doesn't really care about them, he just cares about what he's doing with them. Ultimately it's not a mixtape or a mashup, it's collage art...And it‘ll rock the fuck out of your party. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Peep Keter’s breakdown on Blogarythms....Dude nailed it. This shit was in heavy rotation all Summer long. - EMEYESI

You can never judge a group by its title! I did and I was wrong about it being a girl pop band. One of my favorite “I mean business”-mode albums. Fantastic. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Glasvegas ‘Glasvegas’ Columbia

What a thick Scottish accent James Allan has! I had to read the lyrics to figure out what exactly he was saying. Especially for my favorite song on the album “Geraldine.” - MISS BEHAVIN'

The Glimmers ‘Are Gee Gee Fazzi’ Glimmertwins

Gnarls Barkley ‘The Odd Couple’ Downtown/Atlantic

I feel like Cee Lo and Danger Mouse's sophomore LP receieved a subdued reception because it lacked a “Crazy”-magnitude hit. But it was every bit as good as ‘St. Elsewhere’ and helped cement these guys as two of only a handful of geniuses working in contemporary Pop music. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

So good! One of those 3 or 4 albums that really caught my ear. - EMEYESI

Golden Bug ‘Hot Robot’ Gomma

Gonzales ‘Soft Power’ Mercury

I can't begin to count how many times I‘ve sang along with the words “If you don’t look good then I don't look good and we don't look good...Oh, oh...Workin' together...Oh, oh...livin' together...Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh...” during the last year. But trust me, it's a lot. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Grampall Jookabox ‘Ropechain’ Asthmatic Kitty

My ladyfriend's godmother often inquires as to when she and I might procreate, going so far as to suggest it's a good idea. To this, I retort “I need some clothes right now...I need shoes...I can't afford no baby.” - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Grand Ole Party ‘Humanimals’ DH

Guernica ‘Who are Your Songs For’ Vlas Vegas

Guilty Simpson ‘Ode to the Ghetto’ Stones Throw

I didn't pay this album much attention when it dropped. I found the white label of “She Won't Stay at Home” in my stacks the other day while organizing my vinyl and put it on to see what the hell it was. I immediately regretted not listening to it more. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Guy Blackman ‘Adult Baby’ Unstable Ape

A Swedish dude afflicted with rhotacism made an album that straddles the line between Jens Lekman's ‘When Night Falls Over Kortedala’ and Alexis Taylor's ‘Rubbed Out,’ and it's dope. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

H:

Hadouken! ‘Music For An Accelerated Culture’ Atlantic

Hanif-Jamiyl ‘Krushed Grapes’ Bukarance

Hatchback ‘Colors of the Sun’ Lo

Headlights ‘Some Racing, Some Stopping’ Polyvinyl

Heartbreak ‘Lies’ Lex

Hearts of Palm UK ‘For Life’ Hypnote

Hello, Blue Roses ‘The Portrait is Finished and I Have Failed to Capture Your Beauty’ Locust

Hercules and Love Affair ‘Hercules and Love Affair’ DFA

This shit sounded like somebody took Antony Hegarty on a whirlwind tour of 1980's New York clubland, and the result was the most heart-stopping exercise in Disco gender-bending since Slyvester. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Did I hear James Murphy sneak “You Belong” into his Special Disco Version set during my trip to SF? Yes I did. Special shoutout to their b-side “Shadows”. One of my favorite joints of 2008. - EMEYESI

The name is spectacular--due to Andy Butler's interest in Greek mythology--and so is the album. Though I couldn't tell if it was a dude or chick singing when I first heard them, but that's never a bad thing! - MISS BEHAVIN'

Herman Dune ‘Next Year In Zion’ Source Etc.

They dropped a member, and the umlaut, but their charmingly off-kilter Folk-Pop was still a thing of beatuy and wonder. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Hexes & Ohs ‘Bedroom Madness’ Noise Factory

Chubby, bespectacled indie girl + synthesizers = awesome - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Hollyweerd ‘Edible Phat (The Mixtalbum)’ Self-Released

Hollywood Holt ‘Holt Goes to Hollywood’ Self-Released

I'm looking forward to an official release from this guy. And I think he's kind of good looking. - R-Uh

Hot Chip ‘Made in the Dark’ DFA/Astralwerks

Could this have easily been my album of the year pick? Hell yes. After all, they‘re my “number one guy(s).” - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

I still give this album major burn in the ride. The Hot Chip boys made me think about getting a ridiculous boomin’ system this Summer. - EMEYESI

Hot Lava ‘Lavalogy’ Bar None

HotChaCha ‘Rifle, I Knew You When You Were Just a Pistol’ Exit Stencil

I:

I Was a Teenage Satan Worshipper ‘The Lemonade Ocean’ Gaea

Icy Demons ‘Miami Ice’ Obey Your Brain

Iglomat ‘Iglomat’ KFM

Illa J ‘Yancey Boys’ Delicious Vinyl

How he put out an album entirely produced by his legendary brother while simultaneously stepping out from that brother's shadow I don't know...But he did. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Iller Than Theirs ‘Wash, Rinse EP’ Radio Belly

Better even than their self-titled debut from last year, and it's only four songs! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Islands ‘Arm’s Way' Anti-

Izza Kizza ‘Kizzaland’ Self-Released

J:

James Pants ‘Welcome’ Stones Throw

The Stones Throw fanbase didn't know what to do with James Pants. Apparently listening to his debut and aknowledging it as one of the best albums of the year never crossed their mind. They can all fuck off and die. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

One of my favorite dudes of 2008. - EMEYESI

I already mentioned I want to marry him right? - R-UH

Jamie Lidell ‘Jim’ Warp

Janelle Monáe ‘Metropolis Suite I (The Chase)’ Purple Ribbon

Japanther ‘Tut Tut, Now Shake Ya Butt’ Wantage

How could I not dig on manic art-school Punk with 808 drum-beats and the former leader of Crass dropping creepy spoken word? - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Jazmine Sullivan ‘Fearless’ J.

JDSY ‘Adage of Known’ Ghostly International

Jenny Lewis ‘Acid Tongue’ Warner Brothers

Why do I always like her solo shit so much more than Rilo Kiley? I dunno, but “Pretty Bird” was my shit. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Jeremy Jay 'A Place Where We Could Go' K.

A dark, stripped-down departure from last year's Joy Division-esque “Airwalker,” but the minimalist, dreamlike, Velvet Underground-inspired soundscape was a delight to explore. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Jim Noir ‘Jim Noir’ Barsuk

I think I liked this collection of retro bedroom-Pop psychedelia better than his debut. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Johnson&Jonson ‘Johnson&Jonson’ Tres

Anybody who complains about Hip-Hop in 2008 isn't listening to enough Blu. They need to cut down on the amount of bullshit they expose themselves to and concentrate on the artists moving the genre forward instead. Seriously, Blu and the emcees in his class (Serengeti, Black Spade, Tone Tank, Wale, The Cool Kids, etc.) are so dope they make it easier to act like all the shitty Rap music that clogs radio airwaves, blogs and message boards doesn't exist. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Ooh wee! This album really grabbed me. Beats...Rhymes...Shit was raw, and it bumped all the way through. - EMEYESI

The Just Joans ‘Hey Boy... You’re Oh So Sensitive' Weepop

K:

K-The-I??? ‘Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow’ Mush

Kail ‘True Hollywood Squares’ Alpha Pup

Sure, he kinda ripped off the game-show concept from De La Soul's '3 Feet High and Rising,' but I'm just happy someone in the Hip-Hop community knows what a “concept album” is and can execute one competently. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Kanye West ‘808s & Heartbreaks’ Roc-a-Fella

“Robot voice, robot voice, all the kids love the robot voice...” even this one. I wrote a dissertation on Blogarhythms about how this album should‘ve sucked, but didn’t. Whatever ‘Ye’s story might be, I believe he got his heart broken, made a bunch of songs about it and in the process got to thinking “autotune can probably make anybody sound cool” and decided to experiment with it. When the resulting songs didn't suck he said “I already have tons of fans and millions of dollars, putting a record like this out isn't a risk at all.” And it wasn‘t. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

I could go on and on about this album but I just want to touch on how all the kids I work with are really, really into it. Most requested song of 2008 in Emeyesi’s ride by the under 18 crowd? “Love Lockdown.” - EMEYESI

Kap Bambino ‘Zero Life Night Vision’ Wwilko

Kellarissa ‘Flamingo’ Mint

Kelley Polar 'I Need You to Hold on While the Sky is Falling' Environ

Kelpe ‘Ex-Aquarium’ DC

KiD CuDi ‘Plain Pat & Emile Presents a KiD named CuDi’ 10.Deep

Mixtape? Free? Shit I would have paid for this. One of the standouts from 2008. Dude had so many dope joints on this. “Day 'N' Nite” + the Crookers remix? Ooh wee! One of the best tracks of the year without a fuckin' doubt. - EMEYESI

Kidz In the Hall ‘The In Crowd’ Duck Down

I had no expectations from these dudes but “Drivin' Down the Block” really caught my attention and the album surprised the hell out of me. Great LP! - EMEYESI

The Kills ‘Midnight Boom’ Domino

Had a few winner songs on this album but the rest of it was a boom boom (a.k.a. doody). They remind me too much of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whom I enjoy. But I guess I‘ve grown tired of the girl/guy rock duo groups who all sound alike. - MISS BEHAVIN’

Kimya Dawson ‘Alphabutt’ K.

Yeah, it was a kids album. But any Kimya album's bound to be a good album. And even a kids album is bound to be smart, subversive, funny and touching if it's coming from Kimya. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

King Khan and The Shrines ‘The Supreme Genius of King Khan and The Shrines’ Vice

This “hits” collection from the roving, retro, India-themed Garage-Rock/Soul revue made me want to go all Mola Ram on motherfuckers and start tearing people's hearts out of their chests this Summer. Well, that and it made me want to throw a BBQ so I could invite people over to dance to its sixteen party-rocking tracks all night. I didn't end up doing either...Weak. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Kissey Asplund ‘Plethora’ R2

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis ‘Kitty, Daisy & Lewis’ Sunday Best

Yes, I listen to the countrified sounds of songs like “Buggin' Blues” while riding the city bus through the hood in my hoody and SB Dunks. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Klaus&Kinski ‘Tu Hoguera Está Ardiendo’ Jabalina

Kleerup ‘Kleerup’ EMI

“With Every Heartbeat” was one of my favorites of the past year. Throw in the cover version by Grovesnor for good measure. - EMEYESI

The Knux ‘Remind Me In 3 Days’ Interscope

Koushik ‘Out My Window’ Stones Throw

This album of sleepy-time Hip-Hop beats and folky singing was one of the sleepers of ‘08. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Kraak & Smaak ’Plastic People' Ultra

Kray ‘The Blackout EP’ Ruffnoxious/Radio Belly

I don't drink alcohol, but “Cherry Lime Rickey” was one of the most refreshing Hip-Hop tunes of the year. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Kristoffer Ragnstam ‘Wrong Side of the Room’ Bluhammock

Kylie Auldist ‘Just Say’ Tru Thoughts

L:

Ladyhawke ‘Ladyhawke’ Modular

Sexy kick-ass rocker chick album. It was inches away from being one of my top albums of the year because it was that good! Ladyhawke had me at the single “Paris is Burning.” - MISS BEHAVIN'

Ladytron ‘Velocifero’ Nettwerk

LAL ‘Deportation’ Public Transportation

Larytta ‘Difficult Fun’ Creaked

These dudes sounded like Hot Chip. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Late of the Pier ‘Fantasy Black Channel’ Parlophone

Le Le ‘Flage’ Magnetron Music

It's a damn shame I didn't have “Breakfast” as my song of the year. I sent that to everyone. If I hear that shit in a club imma have a flashback to 1992. - EMEYESI

Lee '‘Scratch’' Perry ‘Repentance’ Narnack

Leila ‘Blood, Looms & Blooms’ Warp

Lemonade ‘Lemonade’ True Panther Sounds

So did these dudes. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Liam Finn 'I‘ll Be Lighting’ Yep Roc

Lightspeed Champion ‘Falling Off the Lavender Bridge’ Domino

I would totally make out with this kid. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Little Pictures ‘Owl + Owl’ Lil' Chief Records

Adorable duo out of New Zealand. Lemme quote myself: “So good...I'm talking ‘Oh my face’ goodness...I'm serious.” - EMEYESI

Lord Skywave ‘Lord Skywave’ This Is Music

Los James ‘Sunglasses At Night EP’ Self-Released

Love Is All 'A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night' What's Your Rupture

Lucky Dragons ‘Dream Island’ Marriage

Lullatone ‘The Bedtime Beat’ Someone Good

Lykke Li ‘Youth Novels’ LL

Did a sexy young Swedish girl actually release a single where she cooed the words “for you I keep my legs apart, and forget about my tainted heart” this year? Yes, she did. And it propelled her self-released debut to the top of my list of favorites. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

M:

M83 'Saturdays = Youth' Mute

I‘ve always been a fan of Anthony Gonzalez’s work, but dude hit it out of the park on this one. An ode to 80's films? Fuck yes! Catching him and his crew live this year was without a doubt a major highlight. - EMEYESI

Madita ‘Too’ Couch

Madonna ‘Hard Candy’ Reprise

I went from anticipating this album to thinking the single was stupid to owning it and not listening to it to liking it and thinking it was sorta slept on. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Madvillain ‘Madvillainy 2 - The Madlib Remix’ Stones Throw

Not the Madvillainy sequel we'd been promised, but still dope. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

The Mae Shi ‘HLLLYH’ Moshi Moshi

I can only think that this is what Justice would sound like if they were a Punk band. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

This album sounds like all the screaming joyful parts of your teenage years. - R-UH

Mahjongg ‘Kontpab’ K.

Martina Topley-Bird ‘The Blue God’ Independiente

Danger Mouse produced an entire album for Tricky's former muse and nobody but me seemed to give a fuck. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Marxy ‘Forty Years from Now’ Music Related

Mates of States ‘Re-Arrange Us’ Barsuk

“Get Better” should‘ve been the song that played when Obama won the Democratic nomination instead of that piece of Country crap they used. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Matmos ’Supreme Balloon' Matador

Mattip ‘Save the King’ Fullsteam

Oh, you mean you‘ve never heard of this bearded white dude who Raps over Dubstep-esque beats? Well, according to him your girl keeps calling him, “K-I-N-G.” - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Maus Haus ’Lark Marvels' Pretty Blue Presents

Maxilla Blue ‘The Beat-n-Path Vol. 1’ Central Standard

Menahan Street Band ‘Make The Road By Walking’ Daptone

So much more than sample fodder for Jay-Z. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Metaform ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’ Just

Metronomy ‘Nights Out’ Because

After locking down my iPod with their Hot Chip/Devo-inspired singles “Radio Ladio” and “Heart Rate Rapid” they flipped the script on some “Erotic City” vs. “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” shit on “Heartbreaker.” And the album, the first after their transformation from solo act to band, exhibited even more versatility. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

MGMT ‘Oracular Spectacular’ Sony

This album was “a call to arms, to live, and love, and sleep together...” and I heard it, loud and clear. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Dudes went from “C‘mon of Montreal, why did you have these clowns open for you?” to “HOLY FUCK THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2008” in one year. Well done fellas. - EMEYESI

Michna ’Magic Monday' Ghostly International

Milosh ‘III’ K7!

This long-awaited follow-up to 2006's ‘Meme’ was soulful and understated. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Minitel Rose ‘The French Machine’ Futur

Mixel Pixel ‘Let’s Be Friends' Mental Monkey

Hey, I got my favorite sweatshirt on too! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Monade ‘Monstre Cosmic’ Too Pure

Lætitia Sadier's solo project sounds like Stereolab, en français. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Mono In VCF ‘Mono In VCF’ Light in the Attic

Moto Boy ‘Moto Boy’ Songs I Wish I Had Written

Motorama ‘Horse EP’ Self-Released

Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro ‘Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro’ P-Vine

Mr. Oizo ‘Lambs Anger’ Ed Banger

MURS ‘MURS for President’ Warner Brothers

Mystery Palace ‘Flags Forward’ Zod

N:

N*E*R*D ‘Seeing Sounds’ Star Trak

Natacha Atlas ‘Ana Hina’ World Village

Natalia Clavier ‘Nectar’ ESL

Natalie Portman's Shaved Head ‘Glistening Pleasure’ Team Swan

The Natural Yogurt Band ‘Away With Meloncholy’ Jazzman

Neon Neon ‘Stainless Style’ Lex

Half this album screams 80‘s, from the name of the band to song titles like “I Told Her On Alderaan,” and the lead singer Gruff Rhys sounds like a mixture of Elvis Costello and Peter Gabriel. The other half is trapped in a Pop or Rap time warp and it got me wondering if my iPod was on shuffle. It was not. Favorite song is “I Lust U.” - MISS BEHAVIN’

Nervous Cabaret ‘Drop Drop’ Naive

The New Bloods ‘The Secret Life’ Kill Rock Stars

Like The Gossip, if they were two thirds African American and more enamoured of The Slits and ESG. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

New Jack Hustle ‘Sound Check’ Tres

Shawn Jackson and Newman from Giant Panda brought it back to the era of the original Carter on this one. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

No Age ‘Nouns’ Sub Pop

I never even heard this album. Take that blogosphere! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

First I'd like to thank 12XU for letting me know these guys were doing a FREE show at Clark University. ‘Nouns’ was one of my go-to albums for my morning commute. - EMEYESI

No Kids ‘Come Into My House’ Tomlab

Nobody Presents Blank Blue ‘Western Water Music Vol. II’ Ubiquity

Nomo ‘Ghost Rock’ Ubiquity

The Nothingdoers ‘Twenty Past Sixteen’ Electricoal

O:

Obi Best ‘Capades’ Social Science

of Montreal ‘Skeletal Lamping’ Polyvinyl

“It's like one big long funky of Montreal bassline with all kinds of of Montrealish changes in the middle” © Me - EMEYESI

Ofrin ‘On Shore Remain’ Stamp

Okay ‘Huggable Dust’ Absolutely Kosher

Olga Kouklaki ‘Getalife’ The Perfect Kiss

Omega Love ‘Ava’ Omega Love Music

One Day as a Lion ‘One Day as a Lion EP’ Anti-

After years in seclusion Zach de la Rocha re-emerged, playing a keyboard like Tom Morello does a guitar alongside former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore in this duo that picked up the molatov cocktail right where Rage Against the Machine left it. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Osborne ‘Osborne’ Spectral Sound

Otto Von Schirach ‘Oozing Bass Spasms’ Cock Rock Disco

As gross and awesome and bass-heavy as the name suggests. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

P:

Pacific ‘Reveries’ Dolores

Panacea 'A Mind on a Ship Through Time' Tasteful Licks

Panther ‘14kt God’ Kill Rock Stars

Parenthetical Girls ‘Entanglements’ Tomlab

Passion Pit ‘Chunk of Change’ Frenchkiss

Dude put together this EP as a Valentines present for his ladyfriend. When I listen to it I close my eyes and make believe that I am that ladyfriend. - EMEYESI

Paul Korzan ‘animal.date.die’ Radio Belly

People Under the Stairs ‘Fun DMC’ Gold Dust Media

Pink Skull ‘Zeppelin 3’ Free New Projects

The Pinker Tones ‘Wild Animals’ Pinkerland

Plantlife ‘Time Traveller’ Rapster

Plastician ‘Beg to Differ’ Terrorhythm

Poni Hoax ‘Images of Sigrid’ Tigersushi

The sexy single “Antibodies” set the bar so high that the album never seemed to register. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Pop Levi ‘Never Never Love’ Warp

Portishead ‘Third’ Island

It would‘ve sucked if after more than a decade between albums Portishead had come back on some bullshit. They didn’t. In fact, they delivered an album so incredible I can almost comprehend how it might‘ve realistically taken them ten-plus years to record it. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Well worth the wait. So good. I missed you Portishead. - EMEYESI

Post War Years ’Black Morning EP' Chess Club

Praveen & Benoît ‘Songs Spun Simla’ Music Related

Principles of Geometry ‘Lazare’ Tigersushi

Prototypes ‘Synthetique’ Boxson

Prussia ‘Dear Emily, Best Wishes, Molly’ Common Cloud

Q:

Q-Tip ‘The Renaissance’ Universal

Much-delayed, but refreshingly un-wack sophomore solo album from the former A Tribe Called Quest chief. If Tip can do it I don't know why more of the Hip-Hop heroes of my youth can't put out decent records. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Quitzow ‘Art College’ Young Love

Kinda like Santogold, only caucasian, and more indie-cutsie. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

R:

Radius ‘Neighborhood Suicide’ The Secret Life of Sound

Rafter ‘Sweaty Magic’ Asthmatic Kitty

Ratatat ‘LP3’ XL

Reefer ‘Reefer’ Alpha Pup

Replife ‘The Unclosed Mind’ Futuristica

Rideout & Terry Cole ‘The City’ Colemine

Rings ‘Black Habit’ Paw Tracks

Robert Svensson ‘Young Punks are On the Never-Never’ Nomethod

Robin Thicke ‘Something Else’ Star Trak

Robots in Disguise ‘We’re in the Music Biz' President

Room Eleven ‘Mmm Gumbo’ Universal

The Roots ‘Rising Down’ Def Jam

Roots Manuva ‘Slime and Reason’ Ninja Tune

Rubies ‘Explode From The Center’ Hybris

An affiliation with Feist didn't help this Let It Die-like debut from a California-by-way-of-Sweden duo attain Apple commercial ubiquity. But their breezy blend of sunshine-drenched Soft-Rock, Indie-Disco and Folk-Pop was just as infectious as their Canadian homegirl‘s. If you liked Lykke Li but don’t know about Rubies you need to get hip. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Ruby Suns ‘Sea Lion’ Sub Pop

S:

Sam Sparro ‘Sam Sparro’ Island

Santogold ‘Santogold’ Downtown

I ♥ Santogold - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Heck yes! Santogold ruled 2008. - EMEYESI

Santogold & Diplo ‘Top Ranking’ Mad Decent

Sarah White ‘Hiding Blind’ Bagpak

Sargasso Trio ‘Burnin’ Burnin' Burnin'' Boy Scout

The Saturday Knights ‘Mingle’ Light In the Attic

Savoir Adore ‘The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl With Animals In Her Throat’ Cantora

Scary Mansion ‘Every Joke Is Half The Truth’ Zum

School of Seven Bells ‘Alpinisms’ Ghostly International

Deheza sisters...Mmmmmmm! Oh, this is about their album with dude from Secret Machines? Right...Really liked it. - EMEYESI

Sébastien Tellier ‘Sexuality’ Record Makers

Senz of Depth ‘Boundary Waters’ Grandma's Dojo

Serengeti ‘Dennehy: Lights, Camera, Action!’ Audio 8

I said everything that needed to be said about this record in last year's “best of,” but then they had to go and make it even better. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Shawn Jackson ‘First of All’ Tres

Shawn Lee and Clutchy Hopkins ‘Clutch of the Tiger’ Ubiquity

Yes, a possibly fictional recluse with a beard and a dude with an affected British accent who wears a tiger mask actually made an album together. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Whoa, there was a Shawn Lee and Clutchy Hopkins collaboration?! - R-UH

Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra ‘Miles of Styles’ Ubiquity

She & Him ‘Volume One’ Merge

I went kablooey for Zooey. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Sigur Rós ‘Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust’ XL

Wait...do I hear English? Yes I do. Awesome. - EMEYESI

Not sure what the title means, but this album seemed to start off more energetic than other Sigur albums. I like groups who can put on a show of instruments and vocals and leave me wanting more. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Siji ‘Adesiji’ Ivy

Silje Nes ‘Ames Room’ Fat Cat

Simon Bookish ‘Everything Everything’ Tomlab

Skeletons ‘Money’ Tomlab

Slow Runner ‘Mermaids’ Slow Runner

Small Professor ‘Slowbus’ Seclusiasis

Snake and Jet's Amazing Bullit Band ‘X-Ray Spirit’ Crunchy Frog

Solange ‘Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams’ Geffen

This album was so strange and awesome that I actually stopped caring about her more famous sibling in spite of her posterior. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

The Solution ‘Will Not Be Televised’ Psychout

Son Lux ‘At War With Walls & Mazes’ Anticon

Sonny J ‘Disastro’ Astralwerks

Soul Cannon ‘Kaboom’ Morphius

Soundpool ‘Dichotomies + Dreamland’ Aloft

Sportsday Megaphone ‘So Many Colours So Little Time’ Sunday Best

Squarepusher ‘Just a Souvenir’ Warp

Ssion ‘Fool’s Gold' Sleazetone

Stanley Brinks ‘Bit (CD-R)’ Self-Released

Stanley Brinks ‘Dank U’ Ciao Ketchup

Starfucker ‘Starfucker’ Badman

Stereo Image ‘ST’ Frog Man Jake

Stereolab ‘Chemical Chords’ Duophonic

The Streets ‘Everything Is Borrowed’ Vice

A major return to form and a huge step in maturation for Mike Skinner. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

The Subs ‘Subculture’ N.E.W.S.

Subtle ‘ExitingARM’ Lex

Supreeme ‘American Badass’ Self-Released

They sampled Joe “Bean” Esposito for chrissake! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Supreeme ‘Silver Medallion’ Self-Released

Syclops 'I‘ve Got My Eye On You’ DFA

T:

Take ‘The Dirty Decibels of Thomas Two Thousand EP’ Eat Concrete

Talkdemonic ‘Eyes at Half Mast’ Arena Rock

Tapes 'N Tapes ‘Walk It Off’ XL

I was kinda glad there was some hipster/blogger backlash against these dudes since it meant I could enjoy songs like “Hang Them All” in peace. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Tawiah ‘In Jodi’s Bedroom' Bush Girl

Team B ‘Team B’ Self-Released,

The Teenagers ‘Reality Check’ Merok

Most imitated band of 2008 by Imageyenation members? The Teenagers. - EMEYESI

The Terrordactyls ‘The Terrordactyls’ Pankoff

Is there a song with Kimya Dawson on here that's every bit as heart-string-tugging as the Moldy Peaches joint from ‘Juno?’ Yes there is! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Tetine ‘Let Your X’s Be Y's' Soul Jazz

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down ‘We Brave Bee Stings and All’ Kill Rock Stars

Thedø 'A Mouthful' Get Døwn!

I played “On My Shoulders” and “The Bridge is Broken” on repeat for an entire week. - R-UH

These Modern Socks ‘Picking a Lock at the Speed of Light’ Self-Released

These New Puritans ‘Beat Pyramid’ Phantom Sound & Picture

They Came From the Stars, I Saw Them ‘We are All In the Gutter But Some of Us are Looking At...’ This Is Not an Exit

Thieves Like Us ‘Play Music’ Fantasy Memory

Thirsty Fish ‘Testing the Waters’ Bell Rang

Those Dancing Days ‘In Our Space Hero Suits’ Wichita

Like The Spice Girls if they were Swedish, and good, and inspired by old-school Girl-Group Pop, chick-centric Pop-Punk & New Wave from the ‘80s and the formative years of Indie/Alternative music. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Time Machine ’Life Is Expensive' Glow In the Dark

The Ting Tings ‘We Started Nothing’ Columbia

Now I enjoyed this album...But my aunt? She ENJOYED this album. Last year it was Benny Sings, but 2008 was all about The Ting Tings for Auntie Kath. - EMEYESI

I may be sick of the iPod song “Shut Up and Let Me Go” but “Great DJ” is rather catchy, and one of my favorite songs that came out this year. - MISS BEHAVIN'

Tobacco ‘Fucked Up Friends’ Anticon

Black Moth Super Solo... - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Tokyo Police Club ‘Elephant Shell’ Saddle Creek

Not as energetic and awesome as 'A Lesson In Crime,' but it grew on me. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Tone Tank ‘The Black Six Sessions’ Scumlife

I wear a shirt with this guy's name on it all the time. I don't do that for just anybody. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Tone Tank ‘The King of Surf Guitar Rap’ Scumlife/Radiobelly

As if an EP of tunes built around samples of Hardcore Punk tracks wasn't enough, he had to go and drop one where he spit over Surf-Rock instrumentals. There's a reason I wear the aforementioned shirt...And it's the same reason dude's one of my favorite rappers...HE'S DOPE!!! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

TRG ‘Missed Calls EP’ Subway

Tricky ‘Knowle West Boy’ Domino

“Re-mem-bah bwoy you‘re a su-pah staaah... ” - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Trinah ’Rainwatcher' Modernsoul

Trouble Over Tokyo ‘Pyramides’ Tokyotron

Dude came out on some Just(independent) Timberlake falsetto shit. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Truckasauras ‘Tea Parties, Guns & Valor’ Fourthcity

Tussle ‘Cream Cuts’ Smalltown Supersound

TV on the Radio ‘Dear Science’ Interscope

You bet your ass I'm shouting you out, for making one of the best goddamn Rock 'N Roll records of the New Millennium! - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Dear TV On the Radio, I really enjoyed this album and how diverse it sounded. Sometimes it's a risk adding a bunch of flavor spices to a meal but you make the recipe...err...album digestible. - MISS BEHAVIN'

U:

Ugly Duckling ‘Audacity’ Fat Beats

V:

Valutan 'Blame the Voters' Pitch9

Vampire Weekend ‘Vampire Weekend’ XL

I used to like bands whose lead singers looked like beard-faced Cereffusion. Now I like bands whose lead singers look like baby-faced Cereffusion. Dude is ahead of the curve. - EMEYESI

Van She 'V' Modular

The Very Hush Hush ‘Evil Milk’ Sao Bento

Volcano! ‘Paperwork’ Leaf

W:

Wale ‘The Mixtape About Nothing’ 10.Deep

I wanted to dislike Wale, but guest verses for Budos Band and the 45 King turned me around. Well that and he dropped this classic Seinfeld-themed mixtape. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Another free mixtape/album joint that I would have had no problem paying for. Wale crushed it in 2008. - EMEYESI

Walter Meego ‘Voyager’ Almost Gold

Wayna ‘Higher Ground’ Quiet Power

The Wet Secrets ‘Rock Fantasy’ Rodeo Peanut

What's the Science? (Carlos Niño & Lil' Sci) ‘Elevation’ Shaman Work

When Saints Go Machine ‘When Saints Go Machine’ EMI

The Whip 'X Marks Destination' Southern Fried

White Denim ‘Workout Holiday’ Full Time Hobby

I don't have a garage, but if I did I would have torn it down from rocking out so hard to this album. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

The Whitsundays ‘The Whitsundays’ Friendly Fire

Why? ‘Alopecia’ Anticon

Alternative rapper turned Alternative rocker turned Alternative Rap-Rocker Yoni Wolf never ceases to amaze. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Wrongkong ‘Wrongkong’ Modernsoul

X:

Xiu Xiu ‘Women as Lovers’ Kill Rock Stars

Y:

YMCK ‘Family Genesis’ Avex Trax

So Miss Behavin‘...You thought Crystal Castles sounded like a video game, huh? - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Yo! Majesty ’Futuristically Speaking...Never Be Afraid' Domino

Yoome ‘The Boredom of Me’ Audio8

I am in “dept” to Serengeti for putting out so much consistently wonderous music, including this decidedly dour, Casio-toned collaboration with Tony Trimm and Renee-Louis Carafice. - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

Z:

Zach Hill ‘Astrological Straits’ Ipecac

Zombie Zombie 'A Land for Renegades' Versatile

Zomby ‘Where Were U In ’92?' Werk Discs

“New Rave” just got even “newer.” - EL KETER BEN TZADIK

oooooh, it's like Christmakwanzukah all over again! I'm looking forward to checking out the unfamiliar stuff .... kudos to the crew.

wow guys n gals, thanks for the musical mind fuQ. seriously, once again opening up my mind to some new tunes to check out. thanks again, pz out

Yo that Bon Iver is great.

Other shit I need to give honorable mention to:

Keane's 'Perfect Symmetry' and Helio Sequence's 'Keep Your Eyes Ahead'. Two of my favorite "if office" albums.

I need to get my hands on a bunch of the other stuff listed.

last part of the posts disappeared. jsut so you know.

Thanks Ull, there's been a problem with making edits to this post resulting in the post ending up all fucked up. I thought it was fine last time.