Top of the Pops '08, or what we listened to Options

[Jessopjessopjess...]

It might be a touch early to review the whole year, but what records had you rocking in oh-eight? What brand new albums did you buy and love? What did you hate? For me 2008 has been very strong musically, with old favourites and new discoveries tickling my lobes like kittens' tounges. Here are some of my best ones in roughly chronological order:

Goldfrapp: Seventh Tree
Guillemots: Red
Sigur Ros: með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Hybrid: Hybrid Soundsystem 01
M83: Saturdays=Youth
Radiohead: In Rainbows
Lindstrom: Where You Go I Go Too
Sasha: Invol2ver

Some ideas for categories you could consider (feel free to add more):

Best Album:
Best New Act:
Best Compilation:
Best Soundtrack:
Worst Album:
Silliest Pop Haircut:
Most Overrated Razorlight:

Do it!

[maian]

The only album released this year that I can remember buying was Stay Positive by The Hold Steady, which is a fantastic album that I've enjoyed an awful lot.

Oh, and The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow, which is probably my favourite of the two.

I've a lot to catch up one.

This post has been edited by maian: Nov 10 2008, 09:55 PM

[Jon 79]

As usual, I've bought several albums this year (Bowie, Belle & Sebastian, Arcade Fire, Hendrix, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Beck)... but not much that's actually new. I think the only new one is James' album Hey Ma.... which is excellent.

[Jimmay]

This year has been Elbow's year for me. Having never listened to any of their stuff before to Seldom Seen Kid being played pretty much every day through October they have really soared up my list of favourites. However, remembering back to earlier in the year, Red was played until the CD wore thin and culminated in seeing them live which was a fantastic gig. I have also dug out Lost Souls by The Doves which I have had for years but never really played and have fallen in love with that album so its been a combination of old and new.

However, most disappointing album for me was Sigur Ros' new one. As a fan of their work for a long while with even Von for all it's bizzare tracks having a special place in my heart, I found Með suð just didn't do much for me. It had the odd track which hit the spot but on the whole I was left unsatisfied by it which is a real shame. I hope to revisit it sometime and hopefully find something new but that does stand out as a bit of a low point for me.

[Sostie]

Off the top of my head I'd say my favourite albums have been by Jim Jones Revue, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Los Campensinos, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians Of The British Empire, Ting Tings, The Teenagers, Ladyhawke and MGMT

Singles: "Homecoming" - The Teenagers, "Promise" - Girls Aloud and "Shut Up & Let Me Go" - Ting Tings.

[Ade]

I can't say there have been a great many albums that have grabbed my attention this year, but the handful that really struck a chord were (in approximate preferential order):


MGMT - 'Oracular Spectacular'
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - 'You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into'
M83 - 'Saturdays = Youth'
Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends'
Goldfrapp - 'Seventh Tree'
Chumbawamba - 'The Boy Bands Have Won'
Royworld - 'Man In The Machine'
Francis and the Lights - 'A Meaningful Promise (EP)'



I'd fully expected Supergrass to deliver the goods as per usual, but they turned out a rather boring album indeed. So, the 'sour grape' mark goes to them this year.

[Wife Of Rolex]

Haven't bought much this year, though there's plenty on my "to seek out" and "will get round to" lists. I've only managed 2 significant purchases from this year's releases:

Jim Noir - Jim Noir
Couples - The Long Blondes

Both vigorously enjoyable.

I can't say there have been a great many albums that have grabbed my attention this year, but the handful that really struck a chord were (in approximate preferential order):


MGMT - 'Oracular Spectacular'
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - 'You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into'
M83 - 'Saturdays = Youth'
Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends'
Goldfrapp - 'Seventh Tree'
Chumbawamba - 'The Boy Bands Have Won'
Royworld - 'Man In The Machine'
Francis and the Lights - 'A Meaningful Promise (EP)'

Ahh, M83 have been on my "to seek out" list for a couple of weeks. Would you say this should be my next purchase or can it go on the "will get round to" list?

[Ade]

I would say M83's album is a necessary purchase, indeed.

I'm mostly certain the Jessops and Sir Robin would agree.

[Jimmay]

I've heard nothing but good things about MGMT but don't know whether I've heard any of their stuff yet. Thats going on the purchase list.

[Raven]

I've not bought, downloaded or listened to one piece of music that has been released this year.

[Nonus Aequilibri...]

The ones I can think of:

Opeth - Watershed
In Flames - A Sense of Purpose
Disturbed - Indestructible
Testament - The Formation of Damnation
Cavalera Conspiracy - Inflikted

The first three were excellent, the other two, merely good.

I have bought a few excellent albums this year that were slightly older, The Blue by Novembre and The Last Kind Words by Devildriver being the best. There was also Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails, The Outlaws first album (after hearing Green Grass and High Tides on Rock Band).

[Jessopjessopjess...]

Wot, no Katie Melua?

[Nonus Aequilibri...]

Wot, no Katie Melua?

Ooh, I forgot all about her.

[Sir_Robin_the_br...]

I would say M83's album is a necessary purchase, indeed.

I'm mostly certain the Jessops and Sir Robin would agree.

I most certainly would. It's a good 'un.

This year's releases I rate highly:

Radiohead - In Rainbows
Martina Topley Bird - The Blue God
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
M83 - Saturdays=Youth (got it right this time)
Bloc Party - Intimacy

Older stuff I got into this year:

Jamie T. - Panic Prevention
Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block
The Go! Team - Proof of Youth
Ian Brown - The Greatest/Music of the Spheres

I was annoyed by:

The Ting Tings, Scouting for Girls "covering" London Calling and their continued existence generally, The Stereophonics being allowed to release another plodding MOR pub rock waste of everyones time and the lack of promised new albums by Mylo and Lily Allen.

[logger]

Since I've stopped listening to Rob Da Bank regularly this year has pretty much passed me by. The only release I got from this year that I can think of was MGMT which was ok but not as good as I'd hoped it would be.