Best of '08 - Music

Like all bloggers, I took our version of the hippocratic oath that basically states:

"I will use my blog during the month of December to post various lists of my favorite albums/books/movies/fill in the blank from the previous year."

So, as to not lose my license to blog, here's my fave 5 albums of '08:

Beck - Modern Guilt. Beck brings in producer Danger Mouse and a love of 60's surfadellic sounds. The result is one of the strongest albums of Beck's career. Whodda thunk the guy that gave us the novelty shchict of "Loser" would enjoy such longevity? I sure didn't. Glad I was wrong.


4. Jack Johnson - Sleep Through the Static. Made with 100% Solar Energy at his own personal studio, Jack's latest effort is 100% laid-back feel good vibe. (Um, kinda like all his other stuff.) Jack is really an under-rated singer and songwriter. But I think that's a big part of his appeal --how he constantly makes crafting a string of perfect pop songs together look so effortless.


3. Coldplay - Viva la Vida. This was the album (along w/ G 'N R's Chinese Democracy) that all the cool kids (and KanYe) were waiting for. And Coldplay didn't disappoint. Bringing in superproducer Brian Eno helped take Coldplays anthem-ready songs to a more unexpected (read=less U2) type place. Now, if we can just work on their latest stage outfits.





2. Metallica - Death Magnetic Did I really just put Coldplay and Metallica back to back on the same "Best Of" List? Oh yes I most certainly did! Like Coldplay, Metallica went the "bring in a super producer" route (Rick Rubin). In the process, they remembered that they were Metallica and delivered an album that shreds from start to finish. Considering they haven't done that in over a decade, it was very notable.


1. The Reconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely.
Jack White does it again. I'm really beginning to buy in that when it's all said and done, he is going to be this generation's Jimmy Page. The album is brilliant, and they topped it off by releasing what I thought was one of the best videos of the year, too, for Salute Your Solution...YouTubed here for your enjoyment.



(Honorable Mention: G 'N R's Chinese Democracy. I haven't actually listened to it yet, but I hear it rules. I just figure Axl took 13 years to make it...he can wait a little for me to get to it.)