Um, duh. It may come as no surprise to many of my valued readers that of Montreal scored the top position this year. I must assure you, however, that the decision was not biased in any way; they earned it. Had of Montreal put out a shitty album this year, they wouldn’t have held such a high ranking. It just so happens that of Montreal released a MASTERPIECE this year and crushed any other sorry excuse for a record. This album is a delightfully sexy romp through the dark and perverted mind of indie-pop genius, Kevin Barnes. Of Montreal invites listeners on a guided candy-pop tour to all places we might want to go; first through a maze of experimental psychedelia, then to the dance floor, then to the bedroom, then into outer space. This album is worthy of multiple listening sessions, or perhaps, more appropriately, canonization of some kind.

of Montreal – Nonpareil of Favor

of Montreal – An Eluardian Instance

Holy Shit. This record is wonderful. The Ruby Suns, hailing from the ever-hip, long time coveted New Zealand have successfully produced the perfect synthesis of indie love-pop and world beats on this glorious record. The sound of The Ruby Suns is hard to describe, but I will try, and in my description hopefully you can understand why ‘Sea Lion’ earned nearly the highest ranking this year. The vocals are reminiscent of late Beach Boys, complete with lush harmonies and a healthy dose of reverb. The rhythm section sounds like is was sampled from sub-saharan Africa at times and, at other times, like it was ripped off and 80′s synth track. The song writing is thorough and solid, often times chanted versus will carry listeners to the hook. I fell in love with the Ruby Suns from the moment I heard ‘Tane Mahuta’; this record is seriously not to be over-looked.

The Ruby Suns – Tane Mahuta

Alegranza came along at a perfect time. I spent last winter drenched in the sweet psychedelic sweat that had been left behind by the forerunners of the Tropicalia movement of 1970′s Brazil. When spring came around I had begun to move on. That’s when Alegranza came out. It picked up flawlessly where my listening career had left off. Imagine this: Animal Collective’s chanty, chaotic, experimental worldiness, meets Os Mutantes’ sweet trip and rolls together into something most of us never imagined. With ethnic polyrythems at the core and tripped-out, repetitive, sampladelic grooves making up the tunes, El Guincho has come up with something truly unique and beautiful. This record is smart, catchy, danceable, and fits flawlessly into what’s going on in neo-psychedelia.

El Guncho – Fata Morgana

This album contains the most beautiful music I’ve heard in years. I’ve been a casual Sigur Rós fan for a long time but this album, in particular, just boosted me into full-fledged infatuation. The record opens with a few surprisingly upbeat tracks, different from anything else we’ve heard from Sigur Rós to date. They are a jubilant few witch may inspire jumping, cheering, or crying after a solid listen. Soon after, the album slows into a much welcomed lullaby. During the downtime, Jónsi Birgisson’s vocals sound like they are being channeled from God; unimaginably precious melodies float out like the sound of one thousand unicorns dying. This album is so awe-striking it calls for multiple back to back listens, preferably while naked with the one you love.

Sigur Rós – Festival

This debut in particular, was one that I had been awaiting for nearly a year… oh man, did they ever deliver. Starfucker’s first full-length is a catchy stroll through a pop-psychedelic dreamland. Simple, darling, beats paired with little fluffs of cotton-candy vocal melodies carry you through the record effortlessly with no bumps to mention. There are certainly a few tunes on this record that shine through as the “hits” but the album as a whole is pulled together really well into a cohesive pop record. Starfucker’s true brilliance is alternatively apparent in their ability to create engaging three minute songs with only one lyrical phrase repeated throughout. Some call it skimpy or boring but I call it a new pop song formula. Great, great, debut.

Starfucker – Laadeedaa

Dr. Dog release two wonderful records this year; their official LP for 2008 entitled ‘Fate’, and the lesser noticed collection of b-sides and oddities, ‘Passed Away Vol. 1′. The award this year goes specifically to the latter. I stumbled onto this record in a downloading frenzy this spring and immediately fell in love with this band. This collection sounds, to me, like the lost box of reel-to-reels that some brilliant stranger recorded in the early 70′s and then locked in his attic only to be discovered and release today. Dr. Dog’s credible quality surely lies in their song writing ability. These are all just damned good songs. The lo-fi, basement-recorded, charm is there on a few tracks earlier on in the record and the full-on, harmony-laden psychedelia is laid on thick by the end. ‘Fate’ is also a wonderful, wonderful record packed with great pop tunes along with all the things that ‘Passed Away’ led me to love about this band.

Dr. Dog – The Man Who Was Wrong

Dr. Dog – Eyesing The Blues

Mother Mother’s second full-length would have achieved a much higher ranking if I was basing this list off of how many times I listened to an album throughout the year. At first, I would only listen to this album in secrecy. Partly because it’s brilliant pop glory and 90′s-esque style seemed to me as something to be ashamed of loving, and partly because I didn’t want anyone else to know about the secret gem I had found. The 3-part harmonies on every track are flawlessly executed by the presence of 3 lead singers. The girls here can’t be categorized as back up singers; they are just as important on this record as the f-ing drums. This masterful pop-rock record is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s something to brag about.

Mother Mother – Arms Tonight

Ratatat - LP3

Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts

This place spot was too close to call. Both these albums were very substantial through out my listening year for equal, but different reasons. LP3 was an album that I was VERY excited about before it came out. I wanted more wildcat, I wanted more double-tracked dancy guitar. After the new record dropped I was taken back, as I can only assume many fans were. This albums seems to mark a great transition for Ratatat. They are experimenting more with adverse melodies and different instruments (autoharp?). And, for a few tracks, they’re bringing the tempo down. This album grew on me over the year. Even though my initial reaction was shock (not disappointment), I have really come to appreciate where Ratatat is going here and look forward to whatever is next.

Ratatat – Falcon Jab

Cloud Cult, to me, is an astonishing band. They manage to be entirely self-sufficient whilst putting out 100% eco-friendly records on their home-grown record label, they stay off the public/popular radar, yet continue to put out brilliant, beautiful records that fit comfortably into what’s hip. This record surely isn’t their finest (See: Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus), but it sure as hell is a great album. Cloud Cult, as they age, continue to warm their sound. Each successive album had been fuller and, seemingly, more produced than the last. Feel Good Ghosts is no exception. These songs are packed with multi-track bells and whistles and and up feeling like big fluffy bubbles…not to say that that is necessarily a bad thing. Part of me wishes Cloud Cult would revert back to the old days but a bigger part of me is in love with what they’ve become.

Cloud Clut – Hurricane and Fire Survival Guide

This year has become, for me, the most music-packed year of my life. Having immersed myself in the world-famous Portland music scene and, simultaneously, having become obsessed with music blogging, I have collected and listened to more music in the last 365 days than most Americans probably do annually. As this wonderful year of music wraps itself up I am left with no choice but to catalog and project what I feel have been the most notable releases. I will be posting my releases in small bundles over the next few weeks so as to not get too hasty and allow for corrections or additions. I hope to one day look back on this and laugh at how terrible my music taste was/is. Without further adieu, the Best Albums of 2008:

The true award here goes to M&NSS’s earlier EP ‘The Daytrotter Sesions’. This selection of 5 dreamy tunes is a perfect introduction/addition to the bands later, simultaneously released full-lengths, ‘Animal’ and ‘Not Animal’ (of which I prefer ‘Animal’) Listen to this EP for a delightful frolic into a soft pleasant pillow-scape created with simple, pleasant melodies, using a steel-string and a volume pedal, and a few brushes on the snare head. Even after picking up the later two LPs, I return to these 5 tunes as the prequel which will inevitably be forgotten as the rest of the world picks up on what is going on here.

Broadripple Is Burning – Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s

Lightspeed Champion’s 2008 release had me from the very first time I saw the album cover. After reading a bit into it I was even more excited to find out it was a down-tempo incarnation of my beloved Test Icicles. After giving it a few listens I was hooked. Listeners beware: this guy isn’t serious; or is he?. I feel like his entire music career is one giant parody of itself. Maybe not; it’s hard to tell when the songs are so damn good. ‘Falling Off the Lavendar Bridge’ is a series of tales of broken hearts, late night cell phone conversations, and new episodes of the O.C. But seriously, it’s great.

Everyone I Know Is Listening to Crunk – Lightspeed Champion

A quickie for JM+GC.

Ephemeral Day 2008 is just around the corner! Are you ready? This will be the first annual celebration of the hottest new holiday invented by yours truly. What a better way to say goodbye to the shortest day of the year than building, bonfires, sunsets, and good people? Winter Solstice 2008; what will YOU be doing?

For all the creamy goods on Ephemeral Day check out the official quick and dirty Ephemeral Day info site.

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