The Most Overlooked Albums of 2008
[graphic by Ian Zuppan]
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
[list by Jon Behm]
#1) Alela Diane The Pirate’s Gospel
The album saw its first release in 2006, but was released internationally this year. Until this fantastic record gets the recognition it deserves I will consider it the most overlooked album of every year.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#2) Shad The Old Prince (album review)
This record is also on my top ten overall list. For those worried that Hip Hop is dead, Shad will show you how wrong you are.
Purchase | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#3) Fight Bite Emerald Eyes (album review)
It’s sort of like honey, Robitussen, and the Eighties, all mixed together. Whatever that means.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#4) The Muslims The Muslims EP (album review)
The future of garage rock has a name and also a… er… religion?
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#5) Peter Adams I Woke with Planets in my Face (album review)
There were a lot of great Ohioan debuts this year, Adams’s is one of the best and hopefully the beginning of a very promising career.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
[list by Josh Keller]
#1) Department of Eagles In Ear Park (album review)
With an internet community that trips over itself to lavish praise on Grizzly Bear, it was relatively silent on this excellent debut from Grizzly Bear co-front man Daniel Rossen.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#2) Dr. Dog Fate (live performance review)
One of my favorite bands of the last couple years put out another solid, classic rock-with-a-modern twist album and brought their highly energetic live show through town a couple times this year. Maybe I just need to resign to the fact that they will never be as popular as I think they should be.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#3) Frightened Rabbit The Midnight Organ Fight (live performance review)
Another band that did well enough in critical circles, but never really took off. More than any other band on this list, they seem to have the potential to crossover to a much bigger audience and become huge stars.
Purchase | Official | Twitter | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#4) Poison Control Center Give It A Try EP
A semi-local (Ames, Iowa) band who have a really great LP from a couple years ago (A Collage of Impressions) and an always amazing live show have made this band one of my favorites. Unfortunately, their scratchy, Pavement inspired jams never took off and most of the times I see them they are opening for bands that they are vastly superior to.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#5) Hot Chip Made in the Dark
Both their underappreciated album, Made in the Dark, and their massively fun show at First Ave seemed to fly slightly under the radar, which is a shame.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
[list by guest contributor Brody McCoy]
#1) The Envy Corps Dwell
What can I say I listened to this record more than 50 times.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#2) Noah and the Whale Peaceful The World Lays Me Down
Laura Marling makes this record.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#3) The Duke Spirit Neptune (live performance review)
This record instantly rocks and makes you want to whip out guitar hero.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#4) Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim
Not the happiest songs, but her voice and lyrics are incredible.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#5) Loquat Secrets of the Sea (artist interview)
Minneapolis native Kylee Swenson gives a different twist to each track.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
[list by Erik Thompson]
#1) Paul Westerberg 49:00
It came out of nowhere, was only 99¢ (I’m not even sure it’s available anymore), and is completely brilliant. Rough around the edges and a bit unfinished, 49:00 is still a document of an artist with plenty of great music left in him.
Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#2) The Last Shadow Puppets The Age of the Understatement
Those of you that dismiss this as being just an Arctic Monkeys side-project are missing out on some truly fantastic songs, with massive orchestral arrangements by Owen Pallett that hearken back to the big, bold sound of Scott Walker.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#3) Fuck Buttons Street Horrrsing
This hypnotically abrasive record has layers of beauty mixed with repetitive discord, all the while creating quite a moody sound within their racket. This UK duo crafted one of the most sonically arresting albums of recent memory.
Purchase | Official | Twitter | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#4) Flying Lotus Los Angeles
Rich in texture and heavy on banging beats, this second full length from Californian DJ Steven Ellison creates an atmosphere thick with nuance and ingenuity. Los Angeles is a real crowd pleaser at parties.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
#5) Johnny Flynn A Larum
Bathed in the sublime storytelling nature of Old-Time English folk music, this debut record features songs that deserve to be flat-out pub anthems, if they aren’t already. Quite a talent at the ripe old age of 25.
Lotta love for Ames on this list (though calling Ames semi-local is about the same as calling Fargo or Chicago semi-local.
Really agree on The Last Shadow Puppets mention – not that it was one of the best albums of the year, but practically no one was digging into it on this side of the Atlantic this year.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
My thoughts on the most overlooked albums of the year:
Bun B – with Lil Wayne coming out at the same time, it was easily overshadowed, but Il Trill is awesome
Gutter Twins – Solace will probably stand with me on this… the turnout at the First Ave show was pathetic considering how fantastic these guys are.
Hank III – his new album debuted at number two on the country album chart… and no one acknowledged it. His last show are First Ave was one of the craziest I’ve ever been to.
NIN – Between Ghosts, The Slip and the group’s live show I can’t believe that Reznor isn’t TIME’s man of the year.
R.E.M. – If this was a comeback album, it was the best of the year.
Josh… you need to hang out in the same places I do on the net in terms of music forums/blogs…
Dept of Eagles, Frightened Rabbit, & Dr. Dog are all loved to DEATH on the forums i’m on (esp FR)
as for the Gutter Twins record… i liked it, but felt it could/should have been WAY better considering the parties involved. the EP was better even…
my picks:
The Tallest Man on Earth
absolutely stunning folk singer from Sweden that evokes Dylan yet very much has his own thing going
Glen Campbell’s covers record. sure it follows in the footsteps of Cash’s American series, but damn if his voice doesn’t sound amazing for his age (or just in general), and many of the re-arrangements are brilliant (esp the Travis cover)
Langhorne Slim
this guy should be huge… his live show is everything that’s great about rock n’ roll.
The Futureheads…
after a very disappointing second album, this album was chock full of scorching brit rock gems. i think this might be their best record yet actually
Plants & Animals…
normally Canadian bands have no problem getting buzz, but sadly these guys kinda fell through the cracks.
Ida Maria
exceptionally fun and spunky female UK (by way of Norway) rock.
I agree about the Gutter Twins show…I felt embarrassed for the band at the show at how empty it was.
Plants and Animals would have made my list, but I gave them love on a bunch of other lists…I still prob should have put them on, but I felt I might be getting into overkill.
The Tallest Man on Earth…another choice I should have made, what a great album.
Solace, Ida Marie grew up in Norway and nows lives in Stockholm. You are right, she made big inroads in the UK this year and is a fun entertainer.
Solid overlooked picks from all participants.
ah, my bad… her myspace used to say NO/UK, wasn’t exactly sure, just knew she was born in Norway. as a Norwegian myself, gotta give it props over Sweden