Not Many Experts

(Reposted minus the mp3s because of the evil internet police blah blah blah; I post stuff, they take it down without asking me, that’s how it works. If you are really desperate for one of the mp3s, just contact me.)

Whilst it was a regrettably unforgettable year in politics and economics; the year in music was eminently forgettable. In fact, everybody has already washed their hands with 2008, and started obsessing over Animal Collective’s “Merriweather Post Pavilion” (which is amazing) and salivating over the prospect of a new Bon Iver album. Although few, there are a few things that 2008 will be remembered for. First of all, it was the year where everybody put down their keyboards and put their pills back in their pockets, instead deciding that an acoustic guitar and a freezing cabin in the most remote place you could possibly find was the best way to record. 2008 also gave rise to an astonishing number of artists that make music nerds tremble with anticipation when anybody mentions “2009″; the volume of amazing debut albums slated for release in 2009 is unbelievable.

Although there is nothing of “Ga Ga Ga Ga’s” pedigree here, I have put together a collection of my 22 favourite albums of the year. Before everybody starts getting angry that “Beach House” is nowhere to be seen, I did not get the chance to listen to every album released this year; in fact, I spent most of my time trying to work out French verb endings and wondering just who the fuck came up with the most illogical language in the world.

Whereas 2008 brought us the unforgettable threesome of Simian Mobile Disco, Digitalism and Justice, nobody in 2009 brought out an electro album to rival them, and they remain unreplaced. Metronomy came closest, but it’s still not comparable to those artists that hijacked 2008 and turned festival tents all over the world into pools of wonderfully planned debauchery and hedonism. Sure, there was a lot of electro-pop this year, but that pure-bred electro… that buzzing bass that made “Phantom” such a hit did not really make an outing this year. Hopefully, 2009 will bring back great electro albums.

Anyway… Just a short note; you must listen to every artist here who you haven’t heard of. The number of albums is 22 for a reason; this is the list of every album released in 2008 that I genuinely loved. Just the albums that I actually looked forward to coming home for, so I could lie in bed and listen to them. The sort of albums that, when I listen to them again in the future, will bring back in a wave of nostalgia what was going on in my life when I was listening to them. Every album here, from first to last, is indispensable.

There has been a swing in popular opinion to the philosophy that it is impossible to rank each album. However, the people who subscribe to this theory are merely lazy. It is not impossible; it is just difficult and it takes both time and a resignation to the fact that when you read back your list months later, you will end up disagreeing with yourself. However, at the end of the day, you must like one album more than another, it’s just human nature. So… from numbers 22 to 1, here are the albums that have made my year:

#22: Metronomy – Nights Out

This was no “Idealism” or “Cross”, neither did it live up to “Attack. Decay. Sustain. Release”, nevertheless; “Nights Out” came the closest of all of the class of 2008 to perfecting the electro album. It must be noted that, in fact, “Nights Out” is in a different class to those infamous electro albums of last year; it’s menacingly experimental but at the same time more danceable than all three. Quite simply mind blowing stuff. Have you heard dance music like it before? No. Have you heard rock music like it before? No. Move over Battles, Metronomy is the king of experimentalism.

#21: The Week That Was – The Week That Was

Peter Brewis’ new project was completely unexpected.It was… fairly conventional? POP MUSIC? That wasn’t the biggest surprise here though; it was actually good. In a year where everybody from the Killers to Kings of Leon turned a bit pop, The Week That Was produced the most coherent and solid album.

#20: Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid

It is impossible to see the words “End of Year List” without the word “Elbow”, usually followed by “The Seldom Seen Kid” shortly afterwards, and I don’t think that anybody sane could resent them for this universal accolade. Sure, your mother may now be banging on about how great they are after they won the Mercury Prize, but that’s no excuse for shunning this near flawless gem of an album that soars one minute, croons the next and finishes you off with the stomping anthem of “Grounds for Divorce”.

#19: Mystery Jets – Twenty One

2008 was the year where The Mystery Jets grew up, ditched their doting father and donned the most ridiculous suits imaginable. Oh, and they ditched their utter madness which had prevented them from gaining actual success with their debut album. The result? Five very strangely clad musicians playing one of the finest pop albums of recent times.

#18: TV On The Radio – Dear Science

No; not number 1, but because it was initially so challenging, this must be the one of the most beautifully written and rewarding albums this year. Beautiful in places, racing and angry in others, “Dear Science’s” diversity is one of its best assets.

#17: Hot Chip – Made In The Dark

Ermm… Soooooo OK, I may have described this as “one of the most disappointing albums of the year” before, but I was wrong. “Made In The Dark” certainly is not coherent, being very difficult in places and completely conventional in others, but this glorious chaos is what makes it so exciting, and with “We’re Looking For A Lot Of Love”, they penned one of the most under appreciated and best love songs in living memory.

#16: MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

If you leave a comment saying that this album was actually released in 2007, I will castrate you and you will have to spend the rest of your life sounding like Mika. Seriously, “Oracular Spectacular” was released digitally in 2007, but physically in the UK in 2008. They have enjoyed spectacular success this year thanks to their insanely catchy quirky pop and released an album worthy of their singles. Proof that it is possible to write a decent album whilst under the influence of many different types of drugs.

#15: Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight

“Midnight Organ Fight” has an astonishing depth to its lyrics that will have you listening to each song over and over, trying to understand exactly what is going on. It doesn’t stop there though, the music itself is awe inspiring, with “Keep Yourself Warm” being one of the best songs of the year.

#14: Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III

I’ve never really loved a rap album before because it is far too easy to pigeon hole all rap music into songs about hoes, jewellery, money and guns. OK.. So whilst those four staples did pierce Weezy’s album a little, it was the songs about politics and social issues that really got me. Rap with a conscience? It’s fantastic, and had every unsuspecting victim from myself to Barack Obama trying to rap.

#13: Kings of Leon – Only By The Night

Clearly, “Only By The Night” was no “Aha Shake Heartbreak” or “Because Of The Times”, but it was not the travesty that many claimed. The fact that it is selling so well underlines the fact that the only reason it received mixed reviews was because Kings of Leon had set the bar so high. OK, so now the bar is a bit lower, but it still a far shot higher than most of the drivel that fills the charts.

#12: Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires

Friendly Fires are genius. They convinced NME to write about great music that was moving forwards. They created an album full of hummable melodies and danceable beats that was almost universally loved by all who heard it, whilst staying on the good side of the press. How do they do it? Is it the on stage Brazilian dancers? Is it the boyish good looks? I’m not sure… but Friendly Fires are genius.

#11: Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes

Once everybody had got over the spectacular cover art, everybody slowly started realising that Fleet Foxes were a revelation. Last year’s “Sun Giant EP” had aroused suspicions, but as Black Kids proved, it is possibly to produce a great EP and follow it with a lacklustre, samey album. Many would claim that Fleet Foxes’ debut LP is full of songs that pump out the same folky, crooning rubbish. These are the people who haven’t listened to the album. “Fleet Foxes” was the cream of the critics this year because it was spine tinglingly beautiful from start to finish, written with such maturity and fantastic lyrics that it is almost impossible to believe that this is a debut album.

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