Adam's Albums of 2008

This is a list of albums that I discovered/re-fell in love with this year.

I was thinking of hacking Kirstin's post from her and doing the same thing, but I realized that my music knowledge is rarely 'up-to-date,' and the music I find often has been on shelves for some time.

So, these are the albums that helped give 2008 some musical definition and who/where/how I came across them...

Aesop Rock- None Shall Pass
(Rob took me to an Aesop show and I had a lot of fun. This guy is good.)

Andrew Bird- Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs
                     Armchair Apocrypha
                     Noble Beast
(Rob has been monumental in turning me on to music I'd never listened to.  Earlier this semester Rob treated my earbuds to the wonderful Mr. Bird)

Band of Horses- Everything All the Time
(Rob)

Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
(Re-fell in love)

Black Keys- Magic Potion
(94.9 and all its glory)

Black Mountain- Black Mountain
(Kirstin's recommendation)

Bob Dylan- Blond on Blond
                  Bringing it All Back Home
                  Desire
(Re-fell in love)

Bob Marley- Kaya
                    Trenchtown Rock Anthology
(Re-fell in love/Kirstin's copy of Trenchtown Rock Anthology)

Carol King- Tapestry
(I copied this from Penny at work... she hooked me up with a number of great albums)

Chubby Checker- Selftitled
(Rob)

CocoRosie- La Maison De Reve
(My friend Mike from school had me listen to the single off of this album and I fell in love)

Coheed & Cambria- Second Stage Turbine Blade
                             In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
                             Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume I: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
                             Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume II: No World for Tomorrow
(Neverender was an amazing experience and these albums shaped its precedent weeks)

David Bowie- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
(Re-fell in love)

Death Cab for Cutie- The Photo Album
                                 Something About Airplanes
(I just love Death Cab and didn't have these albums. Glad I do.)

Deerhunter- Cryptograms
                    Microcastle
(Rob. Deerhunter... the kind of band I should have been listening to a long time ago)

Donovan- Sunshine Superman
(Rob/Re-fell in love. I've known Donovan's music, but never his albums)

Ellis- Undefended Heart
(I heard of Ellis through Morgan at the Women's Center.  She's a great, folky, live performer with an amazing voice.)

Frank Zappa- Chunga's Revenge
(I'll credit this to Kirstin's friend Barnaby. I saw Zappa in his record collection and wanted to have some too.)

Fred Jones- Life & Wine
(Losing Ray early this summer set his album into full rotation in my music catalogue)

Gogol Bordello- Super Tantra!
(Erin. She mentioned it. I bought it. I experienced it... and I want more!!!)

Grateful Dead- American Beauty
(Re-fell in love)

I Monster- Neveroddoreven
(Charlotte and I dropped acid to this... a good, happy mind fuck at times)

Jay-Z+ DJ Danger Mouse- The Grey Album
(Someone at work mentioned this to me... DJ Danger Mouse mixed The Beatles's The White Album with Jay-Z's The Black Album, and gave us The Grey Album.)

Jeff Buckley- Grace
(94.9's The Big Sonic Chill)

Kings of Leon- Only by the Night
(I've followed Kings of Leon for a while and this album is beautiful!)

Lil' Wayne- The Carter III
(Garret/Jaeger listen to Lil' Wayne a lot, and I've grown fond of his words... he is a true wordsmith)

MGMT- Oracular Spectacular
(94.9 did an interview with these guys and I dug their sound... this album is great.)

Neil Young- Live at Massey Hall
(I found video clips of this on Youtube and learned it's a recorded album. To me... this is the difinitive Neil Young. Him, a piano, and a guitar.)

The New Pornographers- Challengers
(Rob. Much homework was worked on to this album.)

Nine Inch Nails- Pretty Hate Machine
(Re-fell in love)

Radiohead- Gagging Order
                    In Rainbows
(I randomly found Gagging Order and it fulfills two loves... Radiohead and acoustic albums.)

Sigur Rós- Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
(I caught wind of their new album from 9.49 and stole it before it was released. It's just fucking beautiful)

Silversun Pickups- Pikul
(94.9)

Slightly Stoopid- Live and Direct
(Re-fell in love)

TV on the Radio- Dear Science
(Rob)

Ween- Quebec
(I looked into Ween after I hear Kirstin raving about them... and I must say, "Rave-worthy")

There might be a couple I've missed, but, most definitely, these albums shaped and molded my 2008 musical feast.