The Year 2008 is halfway over. With this in mind, I wanted to discuss my top 10 albums of the year thus far. And no, I’m not going to include In Rainbows, just because I already called it the best album of 2007, and anyone who didn’t hear it before 2008, obviously wasn’t paying attention. Anyway...here goes.


1. Narrow Stairs, Death Cab for Cutie

Ben Gibbard and the gang rightfully start off this list with their best work since Transatlanticism. The album maintians the somber mood which Death Cab always keeps, while still delivering a bright sound at the same time. Remorse never sounded so good.
Top Track: Cath...

2. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend

Indie, Baroque-inspired, Afro-beat pop? A year ago, nobody would have a clue what you were talking about. Now, chances are people would start up a conversation with you about Vampire Weekend, those Columbia University over-priveleged youths who are about to be launched into the MTV stratosphere by head ass-clown, Pete Wentz & Co. Until that nightmare fully takes shape though, enjoy all the fun this band has to offer.
Top Track: Oxford Comma

3. með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, Sigur Rós

Hopelandic (n.): a term used to describe the gibberish sung by the band Sigur Rós (Wikipedia paraphrase, 2008). What the band lacks in grammatical structure and normal lingual conventions though, they have in music sensibility, and their concept for the post-rock genre which they are near the forefront of. Oh, and they like being naked a lot too...weird.
Top Track: Ára bátur

4. The Odd Couple, Gnarls Barkley

I felt St. Elsewhere was kind of hit-or-miss, but this album is a triumph, through-and-through. If you're looking for something easy and enjoyable to listen to, find yourself a copy of this energetic and intelligent recording. You won't be disappointed.
Top Track: Going On

5. Elephant Shell, Tokyo Police Club

Another fun record this year. These Saddle Creek-ers have a sound similar to Death Cab for Cutie, sans regret, and plus a great dose of energy. This one's a quick listen, but you're likely to just hit repeat upon completion.
Top Track: Your English Is Good

6. Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, Coldplay

At first, I thought that Chris Martin was trying desperately to make his own Kid A, to which I would have laughed. However, it ends up it bares little resemblance to Radiohead's fourth studio album, and instead simply sounds like Coldplay going in a different direction. This could all change if it ends up that they stole The Songs I Didn't Write from Creaky Boards though (haha...sorry, had to mention it).
Top Track: Viva La Vida

7. Falling Off The Lavender Bridge, Lightspeed Champion

Dev Hynes is one weird dude. That said, he knows how to make music, and make it well. Though admittedly whiny at times, it doesn't feel wrong to like it, and it doesn't feel wrong to say that it sounds right. He's also honest, which is getting harder and harder to come by these days. His penchant for profanity also doesn't take away from anything.
Top Track: Midnight Surprise

8. Weezer (Red Album), Weezer

When I first heard Pork and Beans, I was ecstatic. The return of the old Weezer, a return to what made them great (or at least good), and their re-establishment in the hearts and minds of music afficionados everywhere. And then, of course, I heard the rest of the album. What used to work as "so bad, it's good" now functions as "so bad, it's still just kind of bad". Outside of the previously mentioned Pork and Beans, there are smatterings of positives here. Enough to get it onto this list, but not enough to get it onto the year-end list I'm sure.
Top Track: Pork and Beans

9. Water Curses, Animal Collective

Either this is on here or N*E*R*D's new album gets thrown a bone. I decided that Water Curses (the song), alone, gave this four-track release enough street cred to make the grade and get on the top 10. All the songs are a bit stripped-down, reminiscent of their pre-Strawberry Jam style, and all of them get you thinking, which I believe is one of the main purposes behind their music.
Top Track: Water Curses

10. Tha Carter III, Lil’ Wayne

I'll usually truly enjoy one new hip-hop record per year, and since we won't count Gnarls Barkley as hip-hop, I guess this is Lil' Wayne's lucky day. Great rap acts usually weed out the hit-or-miss type stuff by the third album, and for the most part, Weezy delivers, save a song or two. He is a great rapper though, so at least he's got that up on Kanye.
Top Track: Mr. Carter