1. Ezra Furman and the Harpoons -- Banging Down the Doors
2. Southeast Engine -- A Wheel Within a Wheel
3. Devon Sproule -- Keep Your Silver Shined
4. Joe Henry -- Civilians
5. Bruce Springsteen -- Magic
6. Frog Eyes -- Tears of the Valedictorian
7. Peter Case -- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John
8. Arcade Fire -- Neon Bible
9. Anders Osborne -- Coming Down
10. Future Clouds and Radar -- Future Clouds and Radar
Honorable Mentions:
Ryan Adams -- Easy Tiger
Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra -- Security
Aradhna -- Amrit Vani
Art Brut -- It's a Bit Complicated
The Bad Plus -- Prog
The Besnard Lakes -- The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse
Andrew Bird -- Armchair Apocrypha
Blitzen Trapper -- Wild Mountain Nation
Bottom of the Hudson -- Fantastic Hawk
The Broken West -- I Can't Go On, I'll Go On
Caribou -- Andorra
The Clientele -- God Save the Clientele
Damien Dempsey -- To Hell or Barbados
Do Make Say Think -- You, You're a History in Rust
Feist -- The Reminder
Jeremy Fisher -- Goodbye Blue Monday
John Fogerty -- Revival
The Frames -- The Cost
Mary Gauthier -- Between Daylight and Dark
Robert Glasper -- In My Element
Patty Griffin -- Children Running Through
Grinderman -- Grinderman
Hallelujah the Hills -- Hallelujah the Hills
Herbie Hancock -- River: The Joni Letters
Malcolm Holcombe -- Gamblin' House
Jesca Hoop -- Kismet
Diana Jones -- My Remembrance of You
Rickie Lee Jones -- Sermon on Exposition Boulevard
Chris Knight -- The Trailer Tapes
Miranda Lambert -- Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Eric Lindell -- Low on Cash, Rich in Love
Mendoza Line -- 30 Year Low/Final Reflections of the Legendary Malcontent
Charles Mingus -- Cornell 1964
Peter Mulvey -- Notes from Elsewhere
The Narrator -- All That to the Wall
The National -- Boxer
The New Pornographers -- Challengers
Okkervil River -- The Stage Names
Christopher O'Riley -- Second Grace: The Music of Nick Drake
Panda Bear -- Person Pitch
Graham Parker -- Don't Tell Columbus
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss -- Raising Sand
Radiohead -- In Rainbows
Rasputina -- Oh Perilous World
Fionn Regan -- The End of History
John Reuben -- Word of Mouth
Josh Ritter -- The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
A.J. Roach -- Revelation
Alasdair Roberts -- The Amber Gatherers
The Safes -- Well, Well, Well
Patti Scialfa -- Play It As It Lays
Sigur Ros -- Hvarf/Heim
Six Parts Seven -- Casually Smashed to Pieces
The Soul of John Black -- The Good Girl Blues
Spoon -- Ga Ga Ga Ga
Tandy -- To a Friend/Did You Think I Was Gone?
Linda Thompson -- Versatile Heart
Richard Thompson -- Sweet Warrior
Various Artists -- I'm Not There Soundtrack
Loudon Wainwright III -- Strange Weirdos
Watermelon Slim -- The Wheel Man
The Weakerthans -- Reunion Tour
The White Stripes -- Icky Thump
Willard Grant Conspiracy -- Let It Roll
Yndi Halda -- Enjoy Eternal Bliss
Best Box Sets
Miles Davis -- The Complete On the Corner Sessions
The Pentangle -- The Time Has Come 1967 - 1973
Various Artists -- Love is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965 - 1970
Various Artists -- People Take Warning: Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs 1913 - 1938
Biggest Disappointments
Iron and Wine -- The Shepherd's Dog
Modest Mouse -- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
The Shins -- Wincing the Night Away
Son Volt -- The Search
Wilco -- Sky Blue Sky
Lucinda Williams -- West
12 comments:
hey andy,
just wondered if that Wilco (biggest disappointment) was in comparison to the Being There/Summerteeth era...or just in general...or both. I thought it was pretty decent but still a far cry from those two.
I would humbly add Bruce Hornsby's "Camp Meeting," and two by Over the Rhine: "The Trumpet Child" and their new Christmas album "Snow Angels."
Scott, I thought the Wilco album was decent too. But only decent. I think, in general, Wilco wins the award for most overhyped/overrated band of the new millenium. They're decent. But I'm probably reacting a bit to the Cult of Tweedy that is all around me.
Andy ~ Eric Lindell's Low on Cash, Rich on Love, was that a 2007 release? I didn't think that was out yet, if so, I need to start looking for it.
agreed...though I'd put Radiohead pretty much on par in the overhyped/overrated category
aims, you're right. Sorry about that. I frequently receive albums months in advance of their release date, and it's easy to lose track of when the official releases take place. That's what's happened here. Eric Lindell's album is due out January 15th, 2008. It's a good blues/R&B outing, and well worth picking up.
Andy, I can't believe you left out the best album ever...
Just kidding. You got them all on here. There were a couple of "typos," however. For instance, I think you meant to write "Of Montreal" in place of that Art Brut...er, Futureheads...er, Rakes album.
I'm especially thankful for your "biggest disappointment" category. I felt that way about The Shins, Wilco, and I&W, but I was afraid that I might get killed for saying so. Thank you for giving me legitimacy.
Speaking of killing, I might have to put the knives away after just scott's Radiohead comment. Otherwise, I might be tempted to go all Faust Arp on his arse.
Easy there tiger, lol. It's not about Radiohead not being good, though I'll say that Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Theif don't hold a candle to The Bends or OK Computer (just my opinion). It's more about how the press immediately shits its pants everytime there is even the faintest mention of Thom Yorke and company letting out a fart.
Wha'?!?! Thom Yorke farts?!?!?!
Someone call the Times!
Andy,
I like your list. The Joe Henry and Peter Case albums are both wonderful. My high school students don't get them, but I love them. I still need to buy Rickie Lee Jones' "Sermon on Exposition Boulevard". She has made some amazing albums and her singing is always worth listening to.
My own list overlaps yours quite a bit, but I liked the I & W and the Wilco releases quite a bit. (And liking that I & W is a first for me, since Beam used to bore me to tears.)
To each his/her own, though!
Happy New Year!
Hey Andy,
I am the guitarist for the group Aradhna. Thank you for putting Amrit Vani on your honorable mention list! Really appreciate it. I am also trying to get it reviewed for publications like paste and others. I am quite new at this publicity thing and could use any help you could give. enjoyed reading through your blogs...particularily "the most ironic titles for albums in 2008"
and Dulce Et Decorum Est
Thanks
hickspeter@gmail.com
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