My Favorite Albums of 2008!

1- Jenny Lewis- Acid Tongue.
As Jenny is my dearest hero, this probably seems obvious. But I truly, truly loved this album. Jenny has always had an incredibly versatile voice, whether it's screaming (A Town Called Luckey), yodeling (Gravity), singing barely above a whisper (A Better Son/Daughter), soaring (I Never) or aching (About the Moon). On this record she shows even more sides of her, from singing in a high, high key (Black Sand) to yelling out in a sultry manner (The Next Messiah). I REALLY want Rilo Kiley back, but this will certainly do for now!

2- Lykke Li- Youth Novels.
I first heard Ms. Li over the summer, and was instantly in love. I am a sucker for Swedish music as it is, but she is just amazing. Her songs are insanely catchy, and her voice coos and soars, sometimes a yelp and sometimes a whisper. This album never fails to put me in a better mood, and that's valuable.

3- She & Him- Volume One.
Ah, She & Him. Zooey and Matt are quite the dynamic duo on this album! Zooey Deschenal's beautiful voice (which everyone first heard on Elf), is the perfect compliment to M. Ward's lovely guitar. My favorite thing about this album is how old it sounds. I'm a sucker for retro music, whether it's 20s, 30s, 70s or 80s and She & Him have such a timeless sound.

4- Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs.
My favorite Death Cab album will always be Transatlanticism, but this album is really quite great. It isn't nearly as accessible as Plans, which I think is a good thing. It is more reminiscent of Something About Airplanes, which I also love. So that's good. More clever lyrics and metaphors abound this time around, from the symbolism of the remainder in "Long Division" to the sad metaphor in "Your New Twin-Sized Bed". Ben's voice sounds as good as ever, and the melodies are perfect. Seeing the album performed live was truly a treat.

5- Duffy- Rockferry.
Another thing I'm a sucker for is soul music (see Amy Winehouse, Nikka Costa, Adele, Ella Fitzgerald, etc) so I knew I would like this before I even heard it. Duffy apparently was a runner-up on Welsh American Idol, and I bet the judges are kicking themselves now. She has a great ear for hooks, and a great smoky voice!

6- Islands- Arm's Way.
The Unicorns (RIP) and now The Islands have always enchanted me, with their quirky songs and bizarre, dark lyrics, and this album didn't disappoint. I still like Return to Sea better, but Arm's Way was by no means a disappointment. My favorite song is probably "Creeper", with it's funky guitar and eerie vocals, but they're all good, really!

7- Kate Nash- Made of Bricks.
Another one of my vices is female British singers (Lily Allen anyone?) and I LOVE Kate Nash. She has really funny, honest lyrics. For example: "I use mouthwash, sometimes I floss, I've got a family and I drink cups of tea"- Mouthwash. She can be a little bitter at times, with songs like "A is for Asthma and Annoying" and "I Hate Seagulls", but I like a little bitter. I also love music I can identify with, therefore I love this.

8- Right Away, Great Captain!- The Eventually Home.
The RAGC! albums are a 3 part series that are basically the musings of a sailor at sea. I think when concept albums work, they REALLY work, and this is an example of that. The music is really beautiful: sometimes angry, sometimes lonely, sometimes light-hearted, and I think it probably captures the sea life well, not that I would know. It distantly reminds me of Bright Eyes, which is always good. (Note: This is the cover of their first album, because there are NO photos of the new one to be had!)

9- Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend.
Vampire Weekend is by far the most over-hyped band in the history of the world, or at least the blogosphere, but all that hype is there for a reason. Their tunes are insanely catchy, and even when I tried to avoid them... I couldn't. They write blissful afro-pop, with strings and yearning voices and references to the East Coast. I've lived in Boston, New Jersey and Virginia so it was fun to hear songs about Cape Cod, for example, and have childhood memories come to the surface of my thoughts.

10- Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago.
This album was written and recorded in a little cabin in the woods, and it shows. It is simple but it pierced my soul. The vocals are very nice, and I like to picture a little hut with smoke coming out of the chimney and a gorgeous male voice echoing out of it and through the surrounding forest, and little forest animals gathering around to listen. But that's just me.

Anyway, those are my 10 favorite albums of this year. 2007 was a better year for music, I'd say, but this one was still great.

I also loved these CDs: Honorable Mentions (In no particular order):
MGMT- Oracular Spectacular
Mates of State- Re-Arrange Us
Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
Tilly & The Wall- O
Coldplay- Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
Department of Eagles- In Ear Park
Broken Social Scene Presents: Brendan Canning- Something for All of Us
Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band- Conor Oberst
Hot Chip- Made in the Dark
Cat Power- Jukebox
Destroyer- Trouble in Dreams
Born Ruffians- Red, Yellow & Blue
Of Montreal- Skeletal Lamping