Last year, my list included a bunch of stuff that no one cared about. But this year, things are different. My list includes only stuff that everyone is raving about. What can I say, I’ve got my finger on the pulse of everything that matters in music today. Just check it out and see:

10. Black Mountain – In The Future
These rock-and-rolling stoner rock-and-rollers deserved the Polaris Prize more than anyone else ever. And they’re super nice people.

9. Okkervil River – The Stand-Ins
Equally as beautiful and perfect as The Stage Names, but looser and more deliciously rocking.

8. Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
All you have to know is what Kevin Barnes said about Skeletal Lamping earlier this year. It’s a revolutionary record that stretches the bounds of what an album — and art — can be. The sexy bare-back horse-riding on stage obviously makes it that much better.

7. No Age – Nouns
There’s a reason this album blew up. It’s the most awesomest lo-fi record anyone’s heard in ages.

6. Santogold – Santogold
Santogold’s killer rhymes and banging world-beat jams slay. Of course everyone loves her.

5. TV On The Radio – Dear Science
How could anyone ever like this album less than Return To Cookie Mountain. It’s been empirically proven that it’s much better. Just ask anybody.

4. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes finds a way to reinvent rootsy, folky, rocky music. So beautiful. I weep whenever I hear it. Fleet Foxes is so gently inoffensive that it’s impossible for anyone to keep from loving this record.

3. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
Who doesn’t want to sex up Ezra and the boys? Am I right? So witty, so cute, so Ivy League. Drool.

2. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
Best. Rap. Album. Ever.

1. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
There’s nothing less pretentious than shortening your name from The Management to MGMT, then demanding that everyone pronounce the name by speaking each letter instead of treating it as an abbreviation. So of course it’s obvious why everyone has to love them.

Just kidding. Those records aren’t good. Some might be OK. But the number of top 10 lists I’ve read that include five to seven of those albums is mind-boggling. I just don’t get it.

Since I wasted too much of my life writing the list above, my real top 10 has no witty repartee. Not that you’d care in the first place. Take a look:

10. Javelins – Heavy Meadows
9. Old Crow Medicine Show – Tennessee Pusher
8. Colour Revolt – Plunder, Beg, and Curse
7. Mates of State – Re-Arrange Us
6. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Lie Down In The Light
5. The Mae Shi – HLLYH
4. The Seedy Seeds – Count The Days
3. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Pershing
2. Wax Fang – La La Land
1. The Features – Some Kind of Salvation

Other people who did a good job this year:
Jubilee
Young Widows
Ra Ra Riot
British Sea Power
Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s
Obi Best
Damien Jurado
Pomegranates

16 Responses to “Sean’s Top 10 Album List of 2008”

1. On 12/18/08 12:30 PM, Kyle said:

   

   fuck yes the seedy seeds are great.

2. On 12/18/08 1:22 PM, tyler h said:

   

   just when i thought i saw yet another top 10 give props to fleet fox and lil wayne and vampire weekend…you pulled the fleece from over my eyes and made me feel like you’re not a total jerk.

3. On 12/18/08 1:28 PM, Jay DiNitto said:

   

   FIRST REAL FIRST POST

   DWEP THESE FAGGOT LIST, REAL AND FAKE ONES

4. On 12/18/08 2:44 PM, Jess Taylor said:

   

   Haha.
   Only you sean.

5. On 12/18/08 2:51 PM, Evan said:

   

   Mmmmm….bonnie ‘prince’ billy.

6. On 12/18/08 5:11 PM, Goody said:

   

   that was a nice one

7. On 12/18/08 9:26 PM, Sean Cannon said:

   

   i do what i can, tyler.

8. On 12/18/08 10:25 PM, Howard said:

   

   Nice Colour Revolt pull, that album is actually good. But eM Gee eM Tee is good so all you hata’s get my Indie Spirit Award – it basically means, “You’re number one!” but with the middle finger finger, not the pointing finger finger.

   Lil’ Wayne, give Lil’ Jon a call. It will help you get ready for what happens when everyone gets tired of you comin’ out they pockets because The Machine said you could. Pffffrrrrt. squeeeeek.

   Sean, can I bring my girlfriend from Tokio Hotel to Christmas dinner?

9. On 12/18/08 10:43 PM, Sean Cannon said:

   

   of course. especially if it’s the hot one.

10. On 12/19/08 8:52 PM, Howard said:

    

    Oh… you know it. They tried to tell me my girl wasn’t my girl. Can you believe that? And with Santa writin’ all kinda shit down?

11. On 12/20/08 1:57 PM, gay said:

    

    what a gay attempt at humor.

12. On 12/20/08 6:42 PM, Jono said:

    

    I was immensely amused by this prank!

13. On 12/21/08 11:51 PM, Sean Cannon said:

    

    awww, you’re so sweet.

14. On 02/3/09 6:42 AM, David M said:

    

    So I’m late with the whole Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin bandwagon deal, but I love their sound. Friend let me listen to their cd a few weekends ago and I enjoyed it. A lot. I’ve always been an indie fan, but I’ve really only ever bought hardcore cds. It’s weird. Anyways. What cd would someone recommend? I have “Broom,” so I don’t know if someone would consider that a good one for them, a bad one…

15. On 02/3/09 2:08 PM, Howard said:

    

    @Gay: SHAZAM!

16. On 02/3/09 3:07 PM, Sean Cannon said:

    

    @david, “broom” is a good one. they don’t have an extensivly huge catalog, but just about everything i’ve heard from them has done it for me.

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