The Best Albums of 2008: Young Eliot

Austin thought his little green plastic frog was cute, but this little Indian kid is waaaay cuter. And my list of 2008 records is way better, too:

1. King Tuff Was Dead [The Colonel Records]
Tweeked out pop with a punch. Every single one of these bizarre songs could get stuck in your head--and it all comes wrapped in a day-glo cover that will probably blind you.
2. Wavves [**** It Tapes]
So vinyl got too popular in '08 and the hipsters had to turn to cassettes, with this self-titled tape as the cream of the crop. Noise-pop not unlike Times New Viking, but better and more fun. It's a shame that Pitchfork has already hyped this band into oblivion.
3. Wax Museums [Douchemaster Records]
The Wax Museums are four kids from Denton, TX that play catchy, snotty punk with a great sense of humor. This is their first record since 2007's "Claw you Like a Cat" 7" to capture the frenzy of their live show.
4. The Okmoniks - Part Fever!!! [Slovenly]
While the rest of the internet was busy slobbering all over Nobunny's Love Visions, his band released a record that's every bit as catchy, rocks harder and has a ridiculous (but fun) organ. Bonus points for putting the exact same tracks on the A and B sides.
5. The Pets - Misdirection [self-released]
No frills, no gimmicks. This is straight-ahead punk with melody. It's not going to blow you away on first listen, but you'll keep wanting to spin it over and over.
6. Blank Dogs - The Fields [**** It Tapes]
If you weren't listening to lo-fi noise pop in 2008, then you were probably listening to synth punk. Prepare for Blank Dogs to blow up with their 2xLP from In the Red in '09. Of the many B. Dogs releases of '08, this one has the most stand-out songs.
7. Gentleman Jesse [Douchemaster]
I would say something, but when even David O'Brien, the AJC's beat-writer for the Braves digs this record, I don't think it's necessary.
8. Quintron - Too Thirsty 4 Love [Goner]
This record is just a blast. I'm a big dorky white guy and it still makes me want to dance. Their show at the Eyedrum with the Carbonas may well have been the best of '08. Electronic cajun pop punk.
9. Dead Luke (Sky Fi Industries)
A tape of scuzzy weirdo synth punk (count the adjectives!) that snuck out right before the end of the year and has been in my walkman ever since.
Token Jazz Record. David Murray & Mal Waldron - Silence [Justin Time]
This wasn't 2008's highest profile generational jazz crossover (Kenny Garrett's Sketches in MD w/Pharoah Sanders takes that cake), but it was the best. With an incredibly full sound from just tenor and piano, Silence provides the perfect balance of hard bop and Murray's more outsider tendecies

Just missed: Bill Dixon w/the Exploding Star Orchestra, Nomo, TV Ghost, Thee Oh Sees, Apache, Weakends, Times New Viking, Spooks, Goodnight Loving, Pumice, the Black and Whites, Baby Shakes, Thomas Function, Stolen Minks, The Magic I.D., Francisco Lopez, and Sex/Vid

The Best Albums of 2008: Austin

Austin is tired of lists. He's all listed out, frankly. List, list, list. But back in those heady days of ought eight, back before he swore to never make a list again (for at least a couple weeks, that is), he made the one below. His favorite albums of 2008:

1. Gentleman Jesse - s/t [Douchemaster]
2. No Age - Nouns [Sub Pop]
3. The Black and Whites - s/t [Douchemaster]
4. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark [Astralwerks]
5. Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Primary Colours [Goner]
6. Torche - Meanderthal [Hydrahead]
7. Deerhunter - Microcastle [Kranky]
8. Man Man - Rabbit Habits [Anti-]
9. Mahjongg - Kontpab [K]
10. Vivian Girls - s/t [In the Red]

Next up, Young Eliot!

The Best Albums of 2008: Warren

Better late than never, right? And so it begins: Decatur CD's favorite albums of 2008. Over the next week or so, we'll unveil our year-end lists. Today's comes from one Warren Hudson, who you may know as the proprietor of our humble little indie shop. His list is in absolutely no particular order, and, as usual, one of the selections wasn't released in the year in question. But hey, think of it as "The top 11 albums Warren listened to in 2008, most of which also came out in 2008." Without further ado, then:

Thomas Function - Celebration
Nick Cave - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Eccentric Soul: The Young Disciples
Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Telltale Signs
Blitzen Trapper - Furr
She & Him - Vol. 1
Deerhunter - Microcastle
Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
Charlie Haden - Rambling Boy
Grachan Moncur III (2007)

Next up, Austin! Stay tuned...