2008 Wrap-Up (Greg) - The Dreaded List of Albums
December 31st 2008, 9:00 AM | by Greg Szeto | |In line with tradition, here is my unordered, incomplete list of awesome albums from 2008. Things seem a bit folk heavy for me. Interesting. Do share your thoughts.
Baltimore

Small Sur - We Live in Houses Made of Wood
MP3: Small Sur - Roots
A subtle beauty, a gentle giant of a release from a local treasure. Bob Keal is calling us all back to nature; it’s a wondrous journey.
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Zomes - S/T
Warm and addictive melodies make this album glow as Asa Osborne meticulously tinkers with tone and form.
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Arbouretum/Pontiak - Kale Split
MP3: Pontiak - Green Pool
Two spectacular bands pay homage to the great John Cale, and bring along some of their own material to boot. Win/win.
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Beach House - Devotion
MP3: Beach House - Gila
A glittering gem of a release, ornate and lush. Not to mention all the positive Baltimore PR they’ve been gathering.
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Matmos - Supreme Balloon
MP3: Matmos - Les Folies Francaises
Our fair city’s resident transplanted experimental superstars. How can you resist? You can’t.
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Lo Moda - Replica Watches
MP3: Lo Moda - Real Real
Never has a band been so hard to pin down, so damn likable and addictive. The maturity of their songwriting is almost without compare, taut and diverse.
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DC

Imperial China - Methods: EP
MP3: Imperial China - There is no translation
Picking up where it feels like Q and Not U left off, Imperial China’s EP is a short-but-sweet blast of angular and textured experimentalism that has felt sorely lacking in DC where precious, diabetes-inducing indie-pop and overly ironic rock have prevailed as of late.
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Caverns - Kittens! EP
MP3: Caverns - Brodown High Noon
A late-comer, sneaking in just under the wire at the end of December, this EP is the visceral punch in the gut and stab at the heart that I was waiting for all year. For me, instrumental rock doesn’t get much better than this.
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CANNOT BE STOPPED - Mountain
MP3: CANNOT BE STOPPED - Dull Fangs
I really remained firmly against one-man drum acts. Until I heard Farley Miller’s CANNOT BE STOPPED project. Consider me converted.
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The World

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
MP3: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Ah Nick, do you never falter? Probably my favorite in his catalog, hands down. And that’s impressive.
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These New Puritans - Beat Pyramids
MP3: These New Puritans - Swords of Truth
An invigorating, underappreciated album filled with mesmerizing beats, a maelstrom of post-punk guitars, and dripping with the influence of dub and hip-hop.
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High Places - High Places / 0307 - 0907
MP3: High Places - From Stardust to Sentience
One of those times transcendent actually means something, High Places dropped TWO albums of zen-like beauty and inventive experimentalism.
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Shearwater - Rook
MP3: Shearwater - Rooks
Achingly melodramatic, at times bordering on histrionic.
And I love every second of it.
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Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet - S/T
MP3: Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet - Strange Things
Redefining how I view globalized music, truly proving that music is a language with universal aspects that can be tapped into, regardless of your culture of origin.
Probably my album of the year, if I had to choose one.
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Horse Feathers - House With No Name
MP3: Horse Feathers - Working Poor
Folk meets classical amidst the twirling counterpoint of gentle string lines and gorgeous vocals.
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Nina Simone - To Be Free
MP3: Nina Simone - I Loves You, Porgy
A timeless talent with a luscious voice with near-limitless range that could woo legions of men. This 3-CD and DVD box set is probably one of my most valuable purchases of 2008.
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The Bug - London Zoo
Bass. Dub. Love.
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The Rumble Strips - Girls and Weather
MP3: The Rumble Strips - Alarm Clock
At first I was slightly non-plussed about this record. But over time it became one of my most frequently spun all year. A dose of adrenalized, bittersweet joy.










Pontiak: Maker
Béla Fleck: Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 - Africa Sessions
White Rabbits: It's Frightening
Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
Double Dagger: More
Elvis Perkins in Dearland: Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Dan Deacon: Bromst
The Thermals: Now We Can See
Soft Cement: Think About It EP
Arbouretum: Song of the Pearl
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Benjy Ferree: Come Back to the Five and Dime, Bobby Dee Bobby Dee
Weekends: Weekends
Height With Friends: Baltimore Highlands 12" LP, Limited-Run Vinyl Only
Little Joy: Little Joy
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet: Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet
The Secret Machines: Secret Machines
The Bug: London Zoo
13th Floor Elevators: Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (Vinyl Mono LP only)
Arbouretum/Pontiak: Kale (Vinyl LP only)
By matt at 11:19 am on Dec 31, 2008 | Reply
Nice list greg. The bug! I love that album. The list is a little different than what I expected from you. I would include maps and atlases ep on there, but no other major publications seem to agree. These new puritans ?!, f that band and their chainmail wearing lead singer.
By Jeff Mewbourn at 2:21 pm on Dec 31, 2008 | Reply
Totally agree with High Places getting the nod…one of my favorite albums of the year!
Alex said he would be putting together a list of the best shows…where’s it?
By Greg Szeto at 2:39 pm on Dec 31, 2008 | Reply
matt: i don’t feel like i’ve gotten to listen to maps & atlases enough to put it up. it is a solid play though.
jeff: no idea on that.
By Nolan Conaway at 4:53 pm on Dec 31, 2008 | Reply
I need to get some Lo Moda in my life.
By Girl No.1 at 9:54 pm on Dec 31, 2008 | Reply
I totally love Imperial China- and they are like SO cute!
By Caleb at 12:40 pm on Jan 2, 2009 | Reply
seconds to that lo moda craving.
High Places rocks my socks.
and…
Zomes is my favorite droneyness I’ve heard in some time. Makes me want to get all existential on someones assssssssssss!!